States Weekly: January 15, 2025

Newsletter by Akshat Singh

Published January 15, 2025

Big News: Delhi Assembly Election will be held on February 5, and results will be announced on February 8; Karnataka High Court invalidates the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022 citing union government's limited authority on the matter; Meghalaya increases the minimum wages to benefit over 85,000 labourers in the state; Tamil Nadu passes the passes the Criminal Laws (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to deter sexual crimes in the state; and more.

Health 

Karnataka unveils the "Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Arogya" health insurance scheme to provide comprehensive healthcare support for the KRSTC employees. The programme will benefit over 34,000 employees and their families, covering around 150,000 people. The scheme aims to ensure equitable and cashless medical treatment. Source: HRkatha; In detail: KSRTC Arogya scheme details (in Kannada)

Jharkhand approves the implementation of the Jharkhand Employee Health Insurance Plan, aiming to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage for state employees and their families. The plan proposes $5,800 annual coverage for employees, retirees, and their dependents, with additional $5,800 for critical illnesses. Source: Town Post; In detail: Press release (in Hindi)

Climate Change & Energy

Karnataka High Court invalidates the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022, formulated by the Union Government for the generation, purchase, and consumption of renewable energy. The Court ruled that the Union Government lacked the authority under the Electricity Act, 2003, to frame such rules, as the Act specifically grants this power to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). Source: Business Standard; In detail: High Court Order

Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) issues the draft Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Intra-State Deviation Settlement Mechanism and Related Matters) Regulations, 2025. The regulations apply to all entities connected to the state transmission utility, interstate or intra-state within Chhattisgarh, and aim to simplify the settlement mechanism for power deviation. Source: Mercom; In detail: Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (Intra-State Deviation Settlement Mechanism and Related Matters) Regulations, 2025

Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission issues the Kerala Electricity Supply Code (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2025 addressing difficulties in implementing specific provisions of the Kerala Electricity Supply Code, 2014. The order aims to resolve challenges in providing electricity connections to individual beneficiaries and collective bodies in residential colonies and villa projects. These issues often arise due to non-compliance by developers and promoters, including failure to complete projects, abandonment midway, or disputes pending with the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority. Source: Solar Quarter; In detail: Kerala Electricity Supply Code (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2025

Finance

Himachal Pradesh promulgates an ordinance amending Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, levying a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 percent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior sanction from the state government. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Cabinet Decisions

Gujarat High Court rules that goods and services tax (GST) does not apply to the transfer of leasehold rights to a third party in land granted by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). The ruling brings relief to companies that faced the burden of retrospective demand for 18 percent GST on such lease transfers, amounting to liabilities of approximately $928 million only in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Source: Business Standard; In detail: Gujarat High Court Order

Meghalaya approves the Meghalaya Ceiling on Government Guarantees Bill, 2025, that aims to regulate the government guarantees provided to public sector undertakings, statutory boards, corporations, and cooperative institutions seeking loans from commercial banks and financial institutions. Source: Sentinel

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations 

Meghalaya approves amendments to the Meghalaya Factories Rules, 1980, introducing significant changes, including allowing women to work night shifts under strict security measures. Source: Syllad

Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) releases the draft Comprehensive Development of Fisheries in A&N Islands Policy to promote sustainable utilization of marine fisheries resources in the union territory. The policy covers developmental aspects of marine fisheries, fishing technology, post-harvest handling and processing, aquaculture, capacity building and fisheries management. Source: Andaman sheekha; In detail: Draft Comprehensive Development of Fisheries in A&N Islands Policy

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations 

Telangana approves the Telangana "Bhu Bharathi" (Record of Rights) Bill, 2024 that aims to extend comprehensive and better revenue services to people and address pending issues pertaining to land registration and ownership. The bill will ease regularization of land, and enable landowners without proper registration to get land ownership passbooks. Source: Telangana Today; In detail: Telangana "Bhu Bharathi" (Record of Rights) Bill, 2024

Meghalaya approves the revised minimum wages to benefit over 85,000 labourers in the state. The minimum wages for labourers falling under the highly skilled category will now increase to $7.48 from $6.79; $7.01 from $6.14 for skilled laborers; $6.55 from $5.49 for semi-skilled laborers; and $6.09 from $4.86 for unskilled laborers. Source: Syllad

Infrastructure & Governance

Election Commission of India announces the dates for the Delhi Assembly Election. As per the schedule, the voting for all 70 assembly seats in Delhi will be held in a single phase on February 5. The election results will be declared after counting of votes on February 8. Source: Mint; In detail: Election Commission of India Press Note

Tamil Nadu passes the Criminal Laws (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to deter sexual crimes in the state. The Criminal Laws Bill proposes raising the minimum imprisonment for rape from 10 to 14 years, doubling it to 20 years for police offenders, and mandating life imprisonment or the death penalty if the victim is under 12. The Prohibition of Harassment Bill seeks to ban all forms of communication, including digital harassment, at the request of the victim. Source: The Hindu

Water & Sanitation

Nothing critical to report this week.

Center - State Relations 

Nothing critical to report this week.

Any Other

Nothing critical to report this week.

Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).

© 2025 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.

Programs & Projects