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Big News: Gujarat unveils The Drone Promotion and Usage Policy; Haryana passes four bills including The Haryana GST (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Haryana Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation and Management) Authority (Second Amendment) Bill 2022; Karnataka approves its Karnataka Aerospace and Defence Policy 2022-27 and its Karnataka Water Policy 2022; Assam approves its Assam Logistics Policy 2022; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations

Gujarat unveils The Drone Promotion and Usage Policy for state departments and organisations to promote the use of drones – remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicles – for operations and service delivery. The policy aims to create 25,000 jobs in the industry in the state.

Source: Vibes of India; In detail: Drone policy; Press Release

Haryana passes The Haryana Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2022. The amendments are on the lines carried out in the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 by Finance Act, 2022 (Central Act 6 of 2022).

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Bill Details

Haryana passes The Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2022 and The Haryana Municipal (Amendment) Bill 2022. The bills aim to create uniformity in the applicability of trade licences by restricting it for the purposes which are specified by the government.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Bill Details, Bill Details

Karnataka approves its Karnataka Aerospace and Defence Policy 2022-27 that envisages attracting investments to the state worth $5.65 billion. The policy also offers several incentives to companies and manufacturing units in the sector.

Source: the Print; In detail: CMO Twitter

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations

Kerala gives in principle approval for its ‘Sustainable Urban Reconstruction Scheme’ in Kochi, The scheme aims for the development of the city scientifically and through efficient land management.

Source: the Hindu; In detail: Cabinet Decisions

Infrastructure & Governance

Assam approves its Assam Logistics Policy 2022. The policy aims to turn the state into a logistics hub through a dedicated logistics division headed by a secretary-rank officer. The policy also includes proposal evaluation and incentive disbursement through Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) portal.

Source: The Print; In detail: CM Twitter

Punjab constitutes ‘Sikhya-te-Sehat’ fund for creation and revival of health and education infrastructure in the state. The fund is primarily aimed at creating and sprucing up of capital assets in the fields of health and education within the state for public benefit through mobilising voluntary donations.

Source: Indian Express; In detail: Press release

Climate Change

Nothing critical to report this week

Oil & Gas

Nothing Critical to report this week

Water & Sanitation

Haryana passes The Haryana Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation and Management) Authority (Second Amendment) Bill 2022. The bill aims to retain the erstwhile prevailing practise of determining the rates of tariff of retail water.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Bill Details

Karnataka approves its Karnataka Water Policy 2022 with focus on conservation and regulating water usage. The policy deals with water usage, storage, and supply to bring down usage for irrigation while also providing drinking water.

Source: the Print; In detail: CMO Twitter

Power & Renewable Energy

Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) issues regulations specifying the terms and conditions of tariffs for renewable energy projects to sell power to distribution licensees (DISCOMs) in the state. They will remain in force until March 31, 2025.

Source: Mercom; In detail: Regulations

Health

Telangana launches its Telangana Medical Equipment Policy 2022. The policy aims at ensuring maintenance and quick repair of vital health care infrastructure in government hospitals across the state, without making patients incur out-of-pocket expenditure at private diagnostic services.

Source: Telangana Today; In detail: Launch Event (Video)

Telangana launches ‘Birth Monitoring System’ (BMS) to keep a track of modes of delivery in private hospitals across the state including normal, C-sections, and assisted. All private hospitals are required to register themselves on the BMS portal on or before August 31 2022.

Source: Siasat; In detail: BMS Portal

Arunachal Pradesh launches ‘Medicine from the Sky’ initiative in East Kameng district from August 15. The initiative aims to understand the efficacy of delivering medicines using drones to remote parts of the state.

Source: Arunachal24; In detail: ANI Twitter

Tamil Nadu launches its ‘Drug Free Tamil Nadu’ scheme under which several awareness programmes have been planned to eradicate narcotic substances in the State.

Source: DTNext; In detail: Press release (In Tamil)

Any Other

Himachal Pradesh passes its Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act 2022. The act forbids mass conversion and enhances maximum punishment up to 10 years.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Act (In Hindi)

Punjab approves its Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation), Amendment Bill 2022. The amendment introduces a single pension of $944 per month to each MLA irrespective of the number of terms for which they are elected.

Source: Times of India; In detail: Gazette report (Notification Number No.17-Leg./2022.)

Center – State Relations

Ministry of Power introduces The Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the Lok Sabha, which has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy for wider consultations. The bill proposes changes in the power distribution sector by enabling multiple distribution licensing through more responsibilities and powers to the regulatory commissions and load dispatch centres.

Source: Economic Times; In detail: The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022

Lok Sabha passes The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2022 introduced by Ministry of Power. The bill aims to help the country achieve its international commitments with respect to climate change goals by promoting the use of non-fossil fuels, including ethanol, green hydrogen.

Source: Business Today; In detail: The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) invites feedback on its draft Standard Operating Procedures for Virtual Net Metering and Group Net Metering to overcome the challenges in providing rural households with rooftop solar power. Stakeholders can provide their suggestions and comments by August 31, 2022.

Source: Mercom; In detail: Draft SOP

India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announces a new initiative to accelerate climate action and climate-resilient development in 10 states/UT across the country. The initiative includes projects worth $5.16 million to achieve net-zero emissions, climate resilient development, and post-COVID green recovery in India.

Source: Times of India; In detail: Press Release

Update Section

12th July

Assam approves its Assam State Data Policy 2022 to improve data access, data utilization and efficient delivery of services laying the foundation for data-driven governance and policy-making.

Source: North East Today; In detail: Policy Details

26th July

Odisha approves Odisha IT policy 2022 to boost investment in the IT sector. The policy aims to create inclusive growth and employment opportunities.

Source: Kalinga TV; In detail: Policy Details