States Update: December 18, 2019

Big News

Protests erupt over the Citizenship Amendment Act; Andhra Pradesh enables state to levy new taxes; Karnataka issues order recognizing third-party solar rooftop investments; Karnataka releases draft education policy for migrant children; Rajasthan raises fees on solar power; Oil production in Assam drops due to protests; Himachal passes new small enterprise bill; Puducherry unveils new startup policy; and more.

Center – State relations

Amidst massive protests, chief ministers of five states — West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh — refuse to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, calling it “unconstitutional.” Source: Millennium Post

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Excise (Amendment) Act 2019 which enables the state to levy taxes including retail excise tax, additional retail excise tax, manufacture excise tax. Source: Sakshi

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Disha Act Criminal Law (AP Amendment) Act, 2019. This bill will enable expeditious investigation and trial of offenses against women and children, including capital punishment for specified sexual offenses. Source: BloombergQuint

Bihar

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar covered three districts as part of the second phase of his Jal-Jeevan Hariyali campaign which addresses the alarming depletion of groundwater especially in north Bihar. Source: Times of India

New Delhi

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a decision of sharing 50 percent of the land cost with the Delhi government for three priority corridors of Phase-IV of Delhi Metro. Source: Metro Rail News In detail: Press Release

In a bid to build a robust EV charging infrastructure, state-run Energy Efficiency Service Ltd and South Delhi Municipal Corporation inaugurated the first public electric vehicle charging station in south Delhi. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Gujarat

Nothing critical to report this week.

Haryana

Nothing critical to report this week.

Karnataka

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) issued an order recognizing third-party investments in setting up solar rooftop photo voltaic units. Under this model, a developer may operate solar plants and sell the energy generated to the consumer at retail supply tariffs fixed by KERC, before the energy is injected into the grid. Source: Times of India In detail: KERC order

The Karnataka government has drafted a new education policy to ensure free and compulsory education for migrant children and kids of migrant laborers in the state. Source: Times of India

The Rajya Sabha passed a bill to include three new Karnataka tribal communities in the scheduled tribe category. Source: India Today

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has approved the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s proposal to start its own independent power generation plant. Source: Economic Times

Rajasthan

In its latest draft Solar Energy Policy, the state has proposed a five-fold increase in registration fees and the creation of the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Development Fund by implementing a new tax on solar power projects. Source: Business Standard In detail: Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy 2019

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has overtaken Karnataka to become India’s top renewable power generating state in FY20. Of the total renewable power generation in the country, nearly 17.2 percent came from Tamil Nadu. Source: Business Standard In detail: CEA Report

Telangana

Nothing critical to report this week.

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved the power sale agreement signed between Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited and the Solar Energy Corporation of India. Source: Mercom In detail: UPERC order

West Bengal

The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved two 10 megawatt solar projects, which are to be fully financed by the state government. Source: Mercom

Best of the Rest

Assam

Massive protests have erupted in Assam in response to the new Citizenship Amendment Act, with 1,460 protestors detained, 175 people arrested, and 4 people killed. Source: India Today

Oil production is down over 75 percent in Assam due to state-wide protests of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Source: Business Standard

Himachal Pradesh

The state assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) (facilitation of establishment and operation) Bill, 2019, which will exempt any person bringing a MSME in the state from taking approvals from government departments for three years. Source: Economic Times

The fiscal deficit of Himachal Pradesh increased 31 percent to $546.8 million in financial year 2017-18, as per the Comptroller and Auditor General report tabled in the state assembly. Source: Business Today

Jharkhand

Voting for 15 assembly seats in the fourth phase of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly elections began on Monday, December 16. Source: Live Mint

Jammu and Kashmir

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its nod today to the revision and extension of the Prime Minister’s Development Package for the Horticulture in the recently created Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Source: Daily Excelsior In detail: Press Release

Kerala

Kerala has announced a new comprehensive Palliative Care Policy 2019 for the critically-ill with an aim to provide them with “high quality service with social support”. Source: The News Minute

Mizoram

The center has sanctioned an additional $12.5 million to 197,000 beneficiaries as a “Christmas gift” for Mizoram under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Source: The Telegraph

Nagaland

Schools and colleges were closed, markets were shut and vehicles remained largely off roads in parts of Nagaland amid a six-hour shutdown call given by the Naga Students’ Federation, protesting against the amended Citizenship Act. Source: News 18

Odisha

The Odisha government launched the Mo Sarkar initiative aimed at effective implementation of schemes meant for the empowerment of farmers. Source: Times of India

Puducherry

Puducherry unveiled a new Industries Department start-up policy to provide fiscal incentives to interested entrepreneurs and new business ventures to the Union Territory. Source: FreshersLive

Punjab

Flipkart signed two memorandums of understanding with the government of Punjab. Under this new program, MSMEs will be brought into the e-commerce fold and will be provided national market access, training, and support to grow their businesses. Source: Economic Times