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Kerala ranks first on the School Education Quality Index; the center approves flood damage assistance to Bihar and Karnataka; Bihar amends property registration rules; Gujarat eases regulations for new MSMEs; Uttar Pradesh backs out of wind power agreement; journalists strike in Kashmir; Odisha makes rules against single-use plastics; Tripura gets approval to build a Special Economic Zone; and more.

Center – State relations

To promote electric vehicles, Power Minister R K Singh approved amendments in guidelines and specifications for charging infrastructure. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press release

The School Education Quality Index by NITI Aayog has been released. Kerala was ranked first in overall performance, followed by Rajasthan and Karnataka. Source: All India Radio In detail: States ranking

The center approved additional flood damage financial assistance of $56.5 million to Bihar and $169.5 million to Karnataka from the National Disaster Relief Fund. Source: India Today In detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Vahana Mitra’ welfare scheme in Eluru town of West Godavari district. The scheme provides an annual cash incentive of $141.3 to drivers of autos, taxis and maxi-cabs, who own their vehicles. Source: The News Minute

The Andhra Pradesh government appointed over 126,000 new employees in just two months, under a governance initiative of village and ward secretariats. Source: Economic Times

Bihar

The Bihar cabinet approved an amendment to the property registration rules in an attempt to reduce land dispute cases. Under the new rules, the seller must produce documents at the time of registry proving that a property is in his or her name. Source: Financial Express

New Delhi

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has fined power distribution companies (discoms) in the city for failing to comply with green energy norms. In an order last month, DERC imposed a fine of $241,628 on Tata Power DDL, and $406,953 each on BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. Source: Indian Express

Gujarat

The Gujarat government said new micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) units will no longer be required to take various approvals to begin operations for the first three years; a MSME unit can now start operations after getting an acknowledgement certificate from the state nodal agency by submitting ‘declaration of intent’. Source: Your Story

The Gujarat government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises to set up a China Industrial Park at the Dholera Special Investment Region. Source: Financial Express

Haryana

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has recently approved a petition filed by two discoms seeking the installation of grid-connected solar-powered pumps in the state. The pilot project will involve the installation of 468 such solar pumps, with a combined generational capacity amounting to 2.9 megawatts (MW) and is expected to receive a 30 percent subsidy through the central government’s KUSUM program. Source: Sau Energy In detail: HERC order

Karnataka

Nothing critical to report this week.

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

Nothing critical to report this week.

Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government announced a ban on pan masala containing magnesium carbonate, nicotine, tobacco, mineral oil, and flavored ‘supari.’ Rajasthan has become the third state after Maharashtra and Bihar to announce such a move. Source: First Post

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scheme under which those suffering from silicosis, a lung disease common among mine workers, will be treated at par with differently abled persons and will get a monthly pension of up to $17.60 (Rs 1,250). Source: Times of India

Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Electricity and Regulatory Commission has approved an increase in miscellaneous charges collected by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation, which will have an impact on new as well as existing consumers. Source: The Hindu

Telangana

With the employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation continuing their strike, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has hardened his stance, announcing that there is no chance of any compromise with them. Source: The News Minute

Telangana has raised license application fees and has laid down new excise tax brackets for liquor shops. Source: The News Minute

Telangana will embark on a large scale project to transfer blood and medical samples via drones. The initiative is co-designed with the World Economic Forum and Healthnet Global Limited, an Apollo Hospitals Group company. Source: Live Mint

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has suddenly stopped buying electricity from 650 MW of wind power plants. The state government’s excuse for the sudden move is the $0.048-per-unit purchase power tariff that has not been approved by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, but the tariff is 7 percent lower than the average power purchase rate of the state. Source: Financial Express

West Bengal

The West Bengal government has decided to reduce fire license fees by 92 percent in respect to 2017. Source: Times of India

The West Bengal cabinet approved the recommendations of the Sixth Pay commission and said it will be implemented starting January 1, 2020. Source: NDTV

Best of the Rest

Assam

The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has signed an MOU with the Pollution Control Board Assam to tackle air pollution problems in Assam, where particle levels exceed the annual average ambient air quality standards. Source: India Today

Jammu and Kashmir

Journalists in Kashmir held a sit-in protest against the communications blackout and demanded the government restore internet and mobile connectivity. Source: India Today

Kerala

An MOU was signed between Kerala government and Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, under which the state would contribute 25 percent of land cost towards development of national highways in the state. Source: Devdiscourse

Meghalaya

The Meghalaya government signs a deal with cement makers to turn plastic waste into fuel as part of a “Plastic Challenge” aimed at making the state plastic-free by 2022. The chief minister said the State Pollution Control Board will be monitoring the ambient air quality after the plastic is burned so that no harmful emissions take place. Source: News18

Mizoram

Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Mizoram that the draft Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be tweaked to accommodate a “special safeguard” aimed at ensuring that it does not override a long-standing provision that checks the unabated entry of outsiders into the state. Source: NDTV

Odisha

The state government has prohibited the manufacture, sell, trade, import, storing, carrying, transportation and distribution of the single-use plastics, an official said. The ban will be imposed on polythene carry bags of any shape, thickness and size, and Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles of less than 200 milliliters capacity. Source: India Today

Sikkim

NHPC is taking a loan of $635.8 million from state-owned lenders, Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electricity Corporation, to revive the Lanco Teesta project in Sikkim. The Union government-owned hydropower major has become the first public sector unit to take over a stressed asset through a resolution process in the National Company Law Tribunal. Source: Business Standard

Tripura

The center has given in-principle approval for setting up of Tripura’s first-ever Special Economic Zone at Sabroom. The estimated investment in the project will be around $219 million and be developed by Tripura Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. Source: Economic Times

Uttarakhand

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched an awareness campaign aimed at stopping power theft. Source: Economic Times

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