Uttarakhand releases nine new policies aimed at attracting investments across various sectors ahead of an investor’s summit in the state; Kerala approves the state’s Electric Vehicle Policy; Haryana cabinet approved the development of five new cities in the state; Tamil Nadu issues a draft solar policy; and more.

Center – State relations

Japan International Cooperation Agency signed two agreements with the government of India to provide official development assistance loans for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project and the Kolkata East-West metro project. Source: India Today In detail: Press Release

The center approved construction of nearly 628,000 more affordable houses for urban poor in 11 states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. Of the 11 states, Uttar Pradesh will receive the largest share of over 234,000 housing units. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

The northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and the union territory of Chandigarh have agreed to establish uniform rates for taxes on petroleum products and liquor, and for registration fees for vehicles and other transport permits. Source: Business Standard

The Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approved a $455-million loan for a road project in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh, noting that “more than two million people living in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh stand to benefit from an improved road network connecting them with markets, schools and other services.” Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: Press Release

AP Drones Corporation, an initiative of the government of Andhra Pradesh, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Texas – Dallas and Value Thought IT Solutions Private Limited to create technical and trained manpower in machine learning, deep learning, and drone captured imagery to enhance drone operations in the state. Source: Deccan Herald

The Fintech Valley Vizag, an initiative of the state government to create a sustainable ecosystem in the city, and Fintech Association of Hong Kong have signed an MOU aimed at promoting mutual contribution to nurturing the financial technology (fintech) ecosystem, collaboration on fintech initiatives, and support on industry approach to their respective market regulators. Source: The Hindu

Triton Solar has agreed to set up a solar batteries manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh under public-private partnership model and has signed an MOU with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board. The plant will help boost consumption for electrical vehicles and generate 200 megawatts of solar power storage supply to meet the state solar energy needs. Source: Economic Times

The Bihar cabinet approved the establishment of a “Patna Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.,” a special purpose vehicle for the implementation of the metro rail project in the capital, and authorized $275.5 million as funding for the corporation. Source: Financial Express

According to the Brookings Institution’s Global Metro Monitor 2018, which ranks the 300 best performing and fastest growing metropolitan cities globally, India’s national capital Delhi has been ranked sixth. The rankings are based on employment and gross domestic product growth between the years of 2014 and 2016. Source: Financial Express In detail: Brookings – Global Metro Monitor 2018

To boost domestic consumption of solar power, the Delhi cabinet decided that it will enter into agreements with housing societies and solar service providers to ensure domestic consumers bear no cost for the installation of solar panels. The agreement will build upon the generation-based incentive of 2 cents per unit on solar generation that the government had established under the Delhi Solar Policy -2016. Source: Business World

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mundra liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, which has a capacity of 5 million tons per year and has been built at a cost of $695 million. It is connected to a high-pressure transmission grid that ensures LNG reaches the end user directly. Source: DD News In detail: Press Release

The Haryana government signed an MOU with Indian Oil Corporation for setting up bio-compressed natural gas plants based on paddy straw and other agricultural waste in the state. The MOU will open opportunities to establish 200 compressed biogas plants in the state by 2023, with total capacity of about 1,000 tons per day of compressed biogas. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

The Haryana cabinet approved the Panchgram Development Bill, 2018, which proposes the development of five new cities over an area of 50,000 hectares on each side of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway. A Panchgram Development Authority will be constituted as the apex body for policy making, development and regulation of the Panchgram region. Source: Indian Express In detail: Press Release

The Haryana cabinet approved the “Financial Assistance to Women and Girl Acid Attack Victims Scheme,” offering a monthly pension to any woman or girl victim facing acid attack on or after May 2, 2011. Source: The Statesman In detail: Press Release

The Haryana government has decided to return 300 acres of land it had acquired from farmers in Sirsa in 2011 under the Haryana Urban Development Authority farmers, terming the housing project the land would be used for as ‘non-viable.’ Source: Financial Express

Software giant Microsoft and technology service provider Tech Avant-Garde will sign an agreement with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to transform government schools in Bengaluru. As part of the project, the schools will soon have access to technology such as augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.  Source: Economic Times

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a $150 million loan to establish the first multi-skills park in Madhya Pradesh. The skills park will be equipped with international training facilities to enhance the quality of Madhya Pradesh’s technical and vocational education and training system. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet announced it would pay a monthly pension to unmarried women past the age of 50 years. In another decision, the cabinet also announced that it would borrow $577 million  in a loan from the European Investment Bank for the construction of the metro rail projects in Bhopal and Indore. Source: Money Control

The Maharashtra cabinet announced it would extend free bus passes to female students in rural areas until they complete Class 12, rather than Class 10 earlier. It also extended the free pass and concessional journey schemes to senior citizens and citizens with serious medical conditions, benefiting a total of 21.8 million citizens in the state. Source: Times of India

The central government approved financial assistance worth $113.6 million to re-line the Sirhind and Rajasthan feeder canals to prevent flooding in Muktsar, Faridkot, and Ferozpur in Punjab.  Source: The Tribune In detail: Press Release

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission has fixed a payment of $0.05/kilowatt-hour (kWh) as the pooled cost of power purchase or a payment of 75 percent of the preferential tariff, whichever is lowest, that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation will pay to the generators of renewable energy sources. Source: Mercom In detail: Tariff order

Tamil Nadu has issued a draft solar policy that puts the technology in the center of the state’s sustainable development with a procurement target of 8.9 gigawatts by 2022. The draft Solar Energy Policy 2018 is open for comments until October 15. Source: Renewables now In detail: Draft Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy – 2018

The board of directors of the ADB approved financing of up to $500 million for a multi-tranche financing facility that will develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in at least 10 cities in Tamil Nadu. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

Nothing critical to report this week.

A high-level delegation from Walmart discussed the company’s investments in a meeting with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and signed an agreement with the Uttar Pradesh government to have 15 stores in next few years in the state. The company has already finalized three sites in the state, and six more are in the pipeline. Source: Economic Times

The Uttar Pradesh government decided to provide soft loans worth $551 million to sugar mills on order to provide relief to farmers’ dues after the crushing seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. Source: Economic Times

Nothing critical to report this week.

Best of the Rest

Chhattisgarh

The Union Cabinet approved a new $820 million, 183-mile broad-gauge electrified line in Chhattisgarh that will be undertaken through a first-of-its-kind joint-venture with the state. The joint venture, named Chhattisgarh Katghora-Dongarhgarh Railway Limited, will see equity participation from the Indian Railways, Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation Ltd, and private stakeholders. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

In Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones of developmental projects worth over $413 million, including the $221 million Bilaspur-Pathrapali four-lane road and the $233.8 million Bilaspur-Anuppur third railway line. Source: Economic Times In detail: Text of the Prime Minister’s speech (in Hindi)

Goa

The Goa government inked an MOU with Portugal, aimed at collaboration in the fields of water supply, waste water management and sanitation to be implemented in the state. Source: Money Control

Jharkhand

The Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) has signed an agreement with Energy Efficiency Services Limited for the deployment of 50 electric vehicles (EVs) at various JBVNL offices in Ranchi. In the first batch, 20 EVs will be handed over to JBVNL, followed by 30 vehicles after two weeks. Source: Mercom In detail: Press Release

Jammu and Kashmir

The Jammu & Kashmir government implemented decisions taken during the review meeting on 4-5 July 2018 during Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh’s visit to the state, including the undertaking of local body elections. The center has also pledged its support through the deployment of Central Forces in the state. Source: Press Information Bureau

Kerala

The Kerala cabinet has approved the state’s Electric Vehicle Policy. The policy envisages a phased reduction in pollution, fuel-saving measures and increase in the use of electric vehicles. Source: New Indian Express

Meghalaya

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the renovated and upgraded National Highway-44, which would boost industrial development in Meghalaya. Source: Financial Express In detail: Press Release

Odisha

The Odisha state government approved the food and procurement policy for the Kharif (autumn) Marketing Season of 2018-2018, aimed at facilitating the entry of more small and marginal farmers and share-croppers into the procurement fold. Source: The Hindu

Punjab

The governments of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh signed an MOU to set up a ropeway between Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi, which will be beneficial to thousands of devotees visiting these religious sites. Source: The Tribune In Detail: Press Release

The Punjab government has decided to appoint nodal officers in 8,000 paddy growing villages to prevent post-harvest stubble burning. Source: Business Standard

Uttarakhand

Ahead of an investor’s summit in Uttarakhand, the state government has released nine new policies, including the Mega Industrial Investment & Employment Promotion Policy 2018, Uttarakhand Solar Energy Policy, Uttarakhand Ayush Policy 2018, Biotechnology Policy 2018-23, Power Generation from Pirul and other types of Biomass Policy-2018, Uttarakhand Aroma Policy 2018, for establishment of Optical Fiber and Mobile Tower Guidelines Policy, Uttarakhand Electric Vehicle Manufacturing E.V. Usage and Related Services Infrastructure Policy 2018, and the Tourism Policy 2018. Source: Financial Express In detail: Mega Industrial Investment & Employment Promotion Policy 2018 (Hindi), Uttarakhand Solar Energy Policy  (Hindi), Uttarakhand Ayush Policy 2018, Biotechnology Policy 2018-23, Power Generation from Pirul and other types of Biomass Policy-2018 (Hindi), Uttarakhand Aroma Policy 2018, Optical Fiber and Mobile Tower Guidelines Policy, Electric Vehicle Manufacturing EV usage promotion and related services infrastructure policy 2018, Tourism Policy 2018