States Weekly: September 20, 2023

Big News: Tamil Nadu releases the revamped Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy 2023; Gujarat passes the Gujarat Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill, 2023 levying a 28% tax on the full-face value of bets in online gaming, casinos, and horse racing; Uttar Pradesh approves a proposal to set up the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) in Jhansi; Odisha launces the $12 million Startup Odisha Growth Fund (OSGF); and more.

Health

Delhi approves a proposal to set up the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA), a body dedicated to the welfare of patients with mental illnesses. The Central Health Care Act, 2017 mandates the formation of a state level health authority. Source: Hindustan Times

Nagaland passes the Nagaland Anatomy Bill, 2023 that seeks to empower authorised officials to take possession of unclaimed bodies in hospitals, prisons, and public places for organ donation, and research purposes. The bill will also enable people to donate their body organs after death once they submit written intentions in front of witnesses. Source: Economic Times HealthWorld; In detail: Press release

Climate Change

Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) issues the Draft Forecasting, Scheduling, And Deviation Settlement Regulations 2023, allowing up to 10% deviation for solar power projects and 15% for wind power projects without penalties. Source: Mercom; In detail: Draft regulations

Energy

Nothing critical to report this week.

Finance

Gujarat passes the Gujarat Goods and Service Tax Amendment Bill, imposing a 28% GST tax on the full-face value of bets in online gaming, casinos, and horse racing. The amendments have been introduced as per the recommendations of the GST council. Source: Etemaad

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations  

Uttar Pradesh approves a proposal to set up the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) in Jhansi on the pattern of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA), that was set up in 1976. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Press release (in Hindi)

Tamil Nadu releases the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy 2023 aiming to improve start-up literacy, innovation landscape, start-up support centres, access to market, investment ecosystem, stakeholder engagement and equitable growth. Under the policy, the state has also set up a ~$12 million co-creation fund to attract investment from private venture capital funds. Source: The Hindu Business Line; In detail: Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy 2023

Himachal Pradesh announces the “Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojna” (MMLDKY) scheme aimed to offer collateral-free loans to small-scale enterprises and skill-based workers such as cobblers, tailors, barbers and vegetable vendors. The state government has earmarked $4.81 million for the loan and aims to target 75,000 individuals falling in the 18-55 age bracket in its initial phase. Source: BQ Prime; In detail: Cabinet decisions

Odisha launces the Startup Odisha Growth Fund (OSGF) with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as the fund manage, and $12 million as the initial corpus. Source: New Indian Express

Odisha launches the Special Investment Scheme for Priority Sector - Stainless Steel offering investors a 20% subsidy on capital investment. Source: The Telegraph

Uttarakhand announces the Draft Uttarakhand Services Sector Policy, 2023 offering land and subsidies to investors in the healthcare, traditional medicine, education, films and media sectors. Source: The Week; In detail: Uttarakhand Services Sector Policy – 2023 – Draft

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations  

Haryana launches the “e-Bhoomi” portal aiming to ease the process of purchasing land for the development of government projects with the consent of landowners. Farmers can use the portal to offer their land independently or through listed aggregators. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: e-Bhoomi Portal

Kerala passes the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which enables the sanctioning of constructions and related activities on title land. The amendment is aimed at regularising constructions carried out by common people in contravention of those conditions and to enable the use of lands for other purposes. Source: On manorama; In detail: Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023

Infrastructure & Governance

Madhya Pradesh announces the expansion of the “Ladli Behna Yojana” to provide permanent housing to women living in mud houses in the state. Source: Times Property; In detail: Press release

Tamil Nadu launches the “Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam” scheme that aims to provides $12.03 monthly in financial assistance to 10.6 million women in the state. Source: Deccan Herald; In detail: Press release

Center – State Relations 

Nothing critical to report this week.

Any Other

Maharashtra approves the proposal to allow corporate houses, individual donors, and social organisations to adopt government-run schools for a period of 5-10 years. Under the proposal, organizations can use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets to adopt schools. Source: Free Press Journal; In detail: Press release (in Marathi)

Uttar Pradesh announces the “MaNTrA (MaaNavjaat Tracking)” application with the aim to issue birth registration certificates immediately after delivery without the need for parents to apply for the same. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: MaNTrAApp