Great Eastern Energy Corporation announces it has found prospective shale resources with a valuation of over $2.78 billion at its Raniganj (South) block in West Bengal; Odisha releases its ‘Biotech Policy 2018’ at the Make in Odisha Conclave; six north-eastern states agree to implement the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA); Maharashtra signs an MOU with NITI Aayog and the Wadhwani AI group to launch the International Center for Transformational Artificial Intelligence focusing on the rural healthcare; and more.
Center – State relations
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri warned states against tweaking rules of the center’s Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA), asserting that doing so will lead to “harsh consequences.” He went on to say that the “full benefit” of the Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA) will be realized only when its provision is implemented in letter and spirit. Source: Business Standard In detail: The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA)
Six northeastern states — Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim — have finally agreed to implement the RERA. The development comes after a team from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs visited the northeastern states and discussed the issues coming in the way of implementing the act. Source: Nagaland Post In detail: The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed three loan agreements with the government to provide a loan of $574 million to support three initiatives. ADB will provide a loan of $300 million to support lending by India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd, a loan of $169 million loan to develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in at least 10 cities in Tamil Nadu, and a loan of $105 million to the Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Transmission Investment Program. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release, Press Release, Press Release
The center and the state governments of Haryana and Punjab have agreed to force thermal power plants in the states to meet 5 percent of their fuel requirement from paddy stubble pellets in Punjab and Haryana to limit pollution caused by burning of farm waste. Source: Economic Times
The Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Amazon Web Services to launch a cloud-based skill initiative that will provide skills training to 60,000 students across the state’s over 300 engineering and non-engineering colleges by 2020. Source: NDTV
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has withdrawn permission for such agencies to conduct raids and probes in the state after raising concerns regarding the misuse of central investigating agencies and alleged harassment by the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government. Source: Economic Times
The Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board approved the establishment of four new companies with an investment of $557.6 million to generate employment opportunity for nearly 20,000 people. Source: KNN
The ADB approved a loan of $200 million to rehabilitate and upgrade 143 miles of state highways in Bihar. Noting that about 35 percent of the roads have yet to meet the minimum two-lane standard, ADB Transport Specialist Mr. Kai Wei Yeo said, “the project will support the government program to upgrade all state highways to at least standard two-lane width and improve road safety, while reconstructing, widening, and strengthening culverts and bridges.” Source: ADB Press Release
The Bihar government’s urban development and housing department signed MOUs for five projects in the Patna metropolitan area, including an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology – Patna to monitor sewerage projects in the state under the Namami Gange project. Source: Times of India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Western Peripheral Expressway, aimed at diverting heavy traffic that passes through Delhi but is bound for other parts of the country. The opening of the expressway, which is connected to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway that Prime MinisterModi inaugurated in July 2018, marks the completion of the project 15 years after it was first conceived. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release
The Delhi cabinet had approved a proposal to grant a 10 percent discount to users of a common mobility cards users on cluster buses and buses operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation. Source: Times of India
Essel Infraprojects Ltd signed a concession agreement with the Gujarat Water Infrastructure Ltd (GWIL) to design, build, finance, operate, and transfer a $139.4 million water desalination plant at Jodiya in Jamnagar district. Source: Indian Express In detail: Press Release
The Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency has released a tender for a proposed 20 megawatt (MW) grid-connected rooftop solar project in the state. Bidders have until November 30 to announce their interest in constructing and operating a project worth an estimated $13.9 million. Source: Pv-Magazine In detail: Tender details
The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order approving the deviations from the terms of competitive bidding, and the conditions for requests for proposal and the draft power purchase agreements for 300 MW of solar projects by the Haryana Power Purchase Center. Source: Mercom In detail: Approval Order
The Haryana state cabinet approved the amendment to the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 2016, extending the time limit from two years to five years for project completion for developers who received their construction licenses before April 2, 2012. Source: Times of India In detail: Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas (Amendment) Act, 2016
The Karnataka government launched an online portal to improve the process for services such as registration and delivery of documents of sale of immovable properties, mortgage, lease, power of attorney and marriage. Source: Business Standard In detail: Online Registration Portal
Intel opened a design center in Bengaluru that aims to push futuristic technologies such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to its clients. The center, which was built with an investment of $153.3 million at Intel’s 44-acre campus, has said the center will work on “cutting edge” engineering across hardware and software. Source: The Hindu Business Line
Nothing critical to report this week.
The government of Maharashtra signed an MOU with NITI Aayog and the Wadhwani AI group to launch the International Center for Transformational Artificial Intelligence focusing on the rural healthcare in the state. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that this project was aimed at fostering a greater collaboration in the healthcare sector. Source: Bio Spectrum In detail: Twitter announcement
The Maharashtra government increased contract limits that departments can offer jobless engineers from the existing $104,000 to $209,000 and increased contract time limits from five and ten years to 20 years. Source: The Hindu
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the second Mega Food Park in Maharashtra located in in Wahegaon and Dhangaon village in Paithan taluka (county). The Paithan Mega Food Park Park has been set up in 102 acre of land at a cost of $17.3 million. Source: 5 Dariya News
The revised Development Control and Promotions Regulation, 2034, which is aimed at reducing construction costs in the city of Mumbai, came into force. The policy is estimated to reduce total costs for real estate projects in the city by five to six percent. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: Draft Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2034
Nothing critical to report this week.
The center allocated Tamil Nadu with 550 MW of power through a scheme aimed at providing electricity to states from stressed power plants. The allocation will be in force for three years, during which the state will get power at a rate of $0.05 per unit or kilowatt-hour.Source: The Hindu
Hyundai Motor India Limited will make an investment of $976 million at its Chennai plant. The investment is aimed at increasing production capacity at the plant by 100,000 units per year, as well manufacturing 10 new models between by 2025. Source: Financial Express
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd has fully commissioned the 120 MW Pulichintala Hydro-Electric Project in Suryapet district of Telangana with the fourth and final 30 MW hydroelectric unit coming online. Bharat Heavy Electricals had earlier commissioned three units of the 4×30 MW project. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: Press Release
The Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved the proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited to begin installation of smart meters in the state. Source: Daily Pioneer In detail: Approval document
Power consumers in Uttar Pradesh have been spared a tariff hike according to the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd’s annual revenue requirement petition, which was approved by the state’s power regulator. Source: Hindustan Times In detail: Admittance order State Discoms
The Uttar Pradesh government announced that it will offer a subsidy up to 70 percent for solar pumps for irrigation purpose to the farmers. Under the solar pump voltaic irrigation pump scheme 10,000 units will be given to farmers at a subsidized rate on the basis of first come first serve basis. Source: Economic Times
The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission issued new regulations for net metering provisions for rooftop solar projects in the state. These regulations will apply to the distribution licensees (DISCOMs), eligible consumers of the DISCOMs, and third-party owners of gross-metering arrangement of rooftop solar photo voltaic (PV) systems in Uttar Pradesh. Source: Mercom In detail: Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering Regulations, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a slew of projects worth $336 million in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency. Projects included India’s first multi-modal terminal on the Ganga River, as well as road and sewage projects. Source: Times of India In detail: Press Release
The West Bengal State Electricity Development Corporation Ltd announced it will set up a 1000-MW pumped storage facility at Ayodha Hills in the Purulia district of the state at an estimated cost of $965 million. The Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) will provide a loan assistance of $697 million for the project. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: Press Release
The Great Eastern Energy Corporation announced a resource upgrade at its Raniganj (South) block in West Bengal, saying it has found prospective shale resources with a valuation of over $2.78 billion. Source: Economic Times
The West Bengal government announced it will disburse farm loans worth around $974.8 million at a low interest rate of 2 percent, reduced from the earlier 4 percent. The loans will be disbursed through cooperative banks and societies before March 2019. Source: NDTV
Best of the Rest
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh government has signed MOUs with 17 private investors for projects worth $167.3 million during the 5th edition of North East Connectivity Scheme. The MOUs with private investors across sectors like tourism and hospitality, oil and gas, retail, power, equipment manufacturing, and sports has potential to create over 8000 gainful employment opportunities in the state. Source: Economic Times
Arunachal Pradesh added two new tourist circuits under the center’s project for Development of North East circuit. The new circuits include the Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang project and the Nafra-Seppa-Pappu, Pasa, Pakke Valleys-Sangdupota-New Sagali-Ziro-Yomcha project. Source: The Sentinel In detail: Press Release
Goa
The Goa government implemented a modified scheme with higher assistance for poultry farmers, including, for the first time, a subsidy to cover the cost of infrastructure, as well as varying levels of subsidies across three categories of farmers – broiler farmers, layers farmers, and low-input technology poultry bird farmers. Source: Times of India
Kerala
The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education has rolled out the Kerala Online Open Learning (KOOL) training platform. The platform will be used to train teachers, students and the general public. Source: NDTV In detail: KOOL website
The Kerala state government signed an MOU with Airbus BizLab, a global aerospace accelerator which is part of the Airbus group. Under the MOU, an innovation center will be established to serve as the nodal body for planning and executing all the activities to help start-ups. Source: Sify.com In detail: Press Release
Meghalaya
The Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued new regulations for the forecasting, scheduling, and deviation settlement for solar and wind energy generation in the state. According to the new regulations, MSERC would impose the deviation charges on project developers and procurers for under as well as over injection of power into the grid. Source: Mercom In detail: MSERC regulation document
JICA announced it will provide $44 million for the renovation and modernization of the Umiam-Umtru Stage III hydroelectric power station in Meghalaya. The objective of the renovation is to reduce power shortage in the state. Source: The Shillong Times In detail: Press Release
Odisha
At the Make in Odisha conclave, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the consolidated investment figure for the summit, saying, “Odisha drew investment intents received by the state during and in the run up to the event totaled $58.4 billion.” The investment intents received during this edition have the potential to generate 519,000 jobs. Source: Business Standard
The Odisha government announced a partnership with Oracle India at the Make in Odisha conclave to establish an academy in Bhubaneshwar to offer computer science education resources to secondary schools, technical and vocational courses, two-year and four-year colleges, as well as universities. Source: Business Standard
The Odisha government announced a plan to distribute 600,000 smartphones to Mission Shakti (self-help) groups in the state. Source: Business Standard
At the Make in Odisha Conclave, the Odisha government released its Biotech Policy 2018 to attract domestic and international investors. The policy outlines government support for the formation of public-private partnerships, bio incubation centers and biotech finishing schools, as well as collaboration with various international organizations to provide cutting-edge technology in the biotech sector. Source: Bio Spectrum In detail: Twitter Announcement
Punjab
The Punjab government imposed a one percent social security surcharge on the value of motor vehicles and has also levied a 10 percent surcharge on freight charges for transportation of goods. Source: News 18
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh inaugurated the 100-bed Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Sangrur. Source: Daily Pioneer In detail: Press Release
