“United States”: May 22, 2024

Big news: : India registers 60.05 percent voter turnout in fifth phase from ongoing Lok Sabha elections; Enforcement Directorate (ED) names Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as an accused in a money laundering case in a supplementary charge sheet; Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission publishes the project Regulatory Commission (Interactive Distributed Renewable Grid Energy) 2024 order; Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to introduce Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Resource Adequacy Framework) Draft Rules, 2024.; and more.

Health

There is nothing significant to report this week.

Climate change and energy

Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) publishes the project Regulatory Commission (Interactive Distributed Renewable Grid Energy) 2024 to address challenges related to renewable energy banking, accounting, billing and revenue processes. The project focuses on improving rules for Independent Distributed Renewable Energy Systems (IDRES) that exceed the first 500 MW or have become operational by December 27, 2023, and includes provisions such as allowing the transfer of energy stored in banks at a 2% bank fee. Source: Sunny District; In detail: Draft regulation

Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to introduce Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Resource Adequacy Framework) Draft Rules, 2024. aimed at ensuring resource adequacy (RA) in the state power sector. These regulations, in force upon their promulgation, are intended to supervise the planning of generation resources in order to reliably cover forecast demand while maintaining specified reliability standards. The purpose of these regulations is to create a comprehensive framework for planning generation resources that will effectively meet electricity demand at the lowest cost and in a safe manner. Source: Sunny District; In detail: Draft Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Resource Adequacy Framework) Regulations, 2024.

Finances

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Approves $148.5 million loan to expand U.S. electricity supply Sikkim. The loan will help strengthen, modernize and create a climate-resilient distribution system to increase the reliability, quality and resilience of the region’s electricity supply. Source: Print; In detail: ADB press release

Industrial policy and business regulation

Haryana approves Haryana Excise Policy 2024-25, under which the country’s Indian Manufactured Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL) will become more expensive due to hike in various levies. Additionally, the bottling fee and the bar license fee were also increased. The fee increases are expected to generate additional revenue of ~$30 million (INR 250 crore) to the exchequer. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Haryana Excise Policy 2024-25

Sikkim starts Traffic management system based on artificial intelligence statewide. The system aims to modernize traffic management and improve the effectiveness of regulations through automatic document verification and violation detection. Source: India Telegraph In detail: Government order

Land acquisition and labor regulations

There is nothing significant to report this week.

Infrastructure and management

Delhi grants licenses to passenger transport platforms, including Uber and Aaveg, to provide premium bus services. The move is part of the government’s efforts to ease traffic congestion and reduce pollution by promoting the use of public transport. Source: Millennium Mail

Water and sewage

There is nothing significant to report this week.

Center – State Relations

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issues a notification exempting solar and renewable energy parks set up by central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) or their joint ventures from scrutiny of their detailed project reports (DPRs) by government committees. Instead, DPRs can be submitted directly to central agencies such as the Solar Energy Corporation of India, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency and the MNRE. Source: Mercom; In detail: Notification

Any other

Enforcement Directorate (ED) names Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as an accused in a money laundering case related to Delhi’s now withdrawn Liquor Excise Policy 2021-22, in the supplementary charge sheet. The ED also named the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an accused in the case. Source: Hindustan Times

India registers 60.05 percent voter turnout in fifth phase from ongoing Lok Sabha elections covering 49 electoral districts in 8 states. Source:NDTV; In detail: Press release