This edition of States in Motion documents policy, reform, and investment decisions undertaken by Indian States and Union Territories between 16 January and 31 January 2026. Over this fortnight, state governments announced a wide spectrum of interventions ranging from legislative reforms in water governance, land administration, and local self-government, to sectoral policies targeting semiconductors, life sciences, MSMEs, startups, and renewable energy.
The period also saw large-scale investment commitments exceeding ₹5 lakh crore, led by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, and Odisha, alongside targeted social sector schemes with significant fiscal outlays, such as Gujarat’s ₹1,250 crore education-linked assistance and Assam’s ₹300+ crore worker support programme. Collectively, these decisions reflect how states are increasingly acting as primary policy laboratories using regulation, fiscal incentives, and institutional reform to address structural constraints in growth, governance capacity, and service delivery.
I. Reform Decisions :
A. Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management And Augmentation) Act, 2026
Source: Click Here
On 24th January, 2026, the Tamil Nadu Government passed the Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and Augmentation) Bill, 2026, which lays the foundation for strengthening water governance in the state through the creation of a dedicated authority to regulate, manage and augment water resources.
It aims to establish a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the equitable, efficient and sustainable management of all water resources in Tamil Nadu, including surface water, groundwater, wastewater and river basins, in order to address water scarcity, ensure resource security and coordinate multi-sectoral water use planning.
Key Features -
Provides for the constitution of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Authority (TNWRMA), a Central agency tasked with overall oversight of the state’s water sector.
TNWRMA will be responsible for preparing the State Water Policy and the State Water Resources Management Plan, guiding long-term water governance across districts, cities and rural areas.
Governance of the TNWRMA will include the Chief Secretary as its Chairperson and the Water Resources Secretary as the Member Secretary, ensuring high-level bureaucratic leadership.
It empowers TNWRMA to fix tariffs for commercial water use and impose penalties for unauthorised extraction or misuse of water resources, strengthening regulatory compliance mechanisms.
The Act envisages district-level water resource committees to ensure localised planning and implementation of water management strategies.
It also includes planning for flood management measures, signifying attention to both scarcity and excess water events.
Relevance -
Tamil Nadu faces serious groundwater stress, with heavy extraction for irrigation over 92% of total groundwater in some assessments, and annual usage exceeding 82.9% of available groundwater, contributing to declining water tables and reduced aquifer recharge. Without coordinated management and monitoring, such over-exploitation threatens drinking water security and agricultural productivity. The Act’s emphasis on comprehensive regulation, monitoring, and augmentation strategies including enforcement mechanisms and planning committees directly addresses these by supporting sustainable extraction norms and recharge initiatives.
Tamil Nadu is prone to both floods and droughts: major flood events such as those in 2015 and recent cyclones have caused extensive economic losses over ₹ 11,000 crore in Chennai alone and displacement, while chronic droughts have left key reservoirs and urban supplies under severe stress. Integrated planning under the Act with district level committees and flood management planning strengthens the state’s ability to anticipate, mitigate, and respond to both excess and scarce water events, reducing loss and enhancing resilience.
Further, historically, industrial water tariffs in basins like the Thamirabarani remained frozen at ₹ 1.50 per 1,000 liters. This was a regressive subsidy that encouraged waste. The Act’s power to rationalise tariffs acts as a price signal for conservation as rationalising these rates could recover over ₹ 250 crore in potential annual revenue, which the Act mandates must be reinvested into river restoration.
Amendment To Repowering, Refurbishment And Life Extension Policy For Wind Power Projects (Amendment), 2026
Source: Click Here
On 23rd January, 2026, the Tamil Nadu Government amended its Repowering, Refurbishment and Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects 2024, by revising key provisions related to the life extension and repowering of ageing wind power turbines to revitalise renewable capacity in the state’s wind sector.
The policy amendment aims to revive and boost ageing wind power projects by easing eligibility norms, extending operational life, rationalising charges and clarifying performance standards to make it more viable for developers to invest in repowering and life extension efforts.
Key Features -
The amended policy provides greater flexibility in eligibility timelines for repowering or life extension. Wind turbines commissioned after 1st April, 2016 can now operate up to 25 years before requiring repowering or refurbishment, compared with stricter earlier norms.
Performance benchmark requirements for life extension have been relaxed for example, the minimum generation threshold for eligibility has been eased, lowering barriers for moderately under performing turbines to qualify for life extension.
Development charges on repowering projects have been substantially reduced. Under the amended provisions, developers pay ₹ 30 lakh per MW only on incremental capacity added through repowering, while a nominal ₹ 5 lakh per MW charge applies to existing capacity, replacing the previous uniform ₹ 30 lakh per MW levy on the entire wind project.
The policy amendment also simplifies life extension certification norms by aligning them with practical operational performance and revamping cost structures to reduce compliance complexity.
Annual banking arrangements for excess wind generation have been maintained and clarified for broader categories of projects, supporting better utilisation of wind energy outputs.
Relevance -
Tamil Nadu has among the highest repowering potential of over 7,000 MW of wind capacity suitable for repowering or refurbishment yet much of this potential remained unrealised due to stringent eligibility norms and high repowering costs. By rationalising development charges (₹ 30 lakh/MW only on incremental capacity and ₹ 5 lakh/MW on existing capacity), the amendment reduces cost barriers for developers and better leverages this sizable repowering opportunity, helping accelerate capacity modernisation and optimise land use.
Tamil Nadu generates a large share of electricity from wind, sometimes exceeding 100 million units in daily output and meeting up to 30% of state power needs during favourable periods, reflecting wind’s importance in seasonal energy mixes. By simplifying life extension certification and clarifying annual banking arrangements for excess generation, the amended policy strengthens incentives for developers to keep turbines running longer with improved performance, thus supporting grid stability and consistent renewable output during peak and off-peak seasons.
Moreover, many of Tamil Nadu’s oldest turbines (installed in the 1990s) occupy the state’s best wind sites (high wind-speed corridors), which are generally under-performing assets. By reducing the entry cost (the development charge), the Government is incentivising the replacement of 250 kW-500 kW turbines with modern 2 MW-3 MW units on the same footprint. This effectively triples the energy density of existing land without new land acquisition.
B. Bihar
Single-Window Digital System For Investor Approvals
Source: Click Here
On 15th January 2026, the Government of Bihar launched a Single-Window Digital System under the Industry Department to streamline and fast-track investor approvals.
The primary aim of this system is to streamline access to land allocation, subsidies, project approvals, and regulatory clearances through an online platform, reducing the need for investors to visit multiple offices and enabling faster execution of industrial projects across the state.
Key Features –
A centralised online system where investors can access all key approvals and incentives required for setting up and scaling businesses.
Digitized key processes such as land allocation, subsidy distribution, and inspections, enabling land allotment in industrial areas to be conducted online or through applications.
Provision to process every application within a specified time limit. In addition, investors can track the progress of their applications online.
The portal aligns with the state’s industrial policy by facilitating quicker clearances and improving the overall investment climate in Bihar.
Alignment with Central Scheme - The scheme aligns with National Single Window System which was launched as a one-stop-shop for investors for approvals & clearances. The portal hosts applications for approvals from 32 Central Departments and 32 State Governments.
Relevance –
Historically, Bihar has exhibited lower levels of industrialisation, possessing a modest industrial base comprising approximately 3,386 factories, which is indicative of structural underdevelopment. In an effort to stimulate investment and simplify the approval process pursuant to its industrial policy, the Government of Bihar has implemented the Single-Window Digital System.
Bihar’s industry sector is labour-intensive, and faster approvals for plug-and-play facilities priced at ₹ 4–60 per sq. ft enable firms to scale operations quickly, directly supporting the state’s target of creating one crore jobs by 2030.
Geo‑Spatial Analytics Mandate For Infrastructure Projects
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On 16th January, 2026, the Government of Bihar mandated the use of geo‑spatial analytics for all infrastructure projects costing ₹ 50 crore or more before approval.
The primary aim of this initiative is to make infrastructure planning scientific, data-driven, and efficient, enabling early identification of challenges such as land acquisition, forest clearance delays, cross-drainage issues, and duplication of work.
Key Features –
Mandatory in Detailed Project Reports: Geo-spatial analytics must be included in DPRs for projects worth ₹ 50 crore or more.
Bihar Remote Sensing Application Centre (BIRSAC) Integration: Departments must utilise geo-spatial services under the BIRSAC Geo-Spatial Service Usage Policy, 2026.
Departments availing these services will pay 0.25% of the total project cost, ensuring sustainability without additional financial burden.
DPRs require technical approval from BIRSAC before financial sanction.
A digital tool developed with BISAG‑N will assist in project planning, alignment, and DPR assessment using data from the PM Gati Shakti Portal.
The system supports disaster management and monitoring activities like stubble burning. Departments will provide regular updates on project progress through the portal.
Relevance –
Bihar experienced a series of bridge collapses and structural failures raising concerns about deficiencies in project planning, site assessment, and risk identification. By mandating the use of geospatial analytics, the Government is enabling precise mapping of floodplains, soil characteristics, drainage patterns, river course migration, and historical stress zones, allowing engineers to select safer alignments, design appropriate foundations, and anticipate hydrological and geological risks before construction begins.
The policy was introduced to address inefficiencies in infrastructure planning arising from fragmented data, which often leads to duplication of work and late identification of land acquisition, forest clearance, and cross-drainage issues. By mandating geo-spatial analytics in DPRs and technical scrutiny by BIRSAC, project designs must now use mapped land records, forest boundaries, and hydrological data upfront, enabling early detection of alignment conflicts and site risks before financial sanction.
C. Goa
Introduction Of Goa Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026
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On 13th January, 2026, the Government of Goa introduced the Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Bill proposes amendments to the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 to update governance and administrative provisions related to local self-government in the state.
The key objective of the Bill is to modernise and strengthen the existing Panchayat Raj framework in Goa by amending specific Sections of the 1994 Act to improve decentralised governance, clarify administrative legal procedures, and enhance the effectiveness of local self-government institutions.
Key Features -
The Bill proposes targeted amendments to selected provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, with the objective of updating the legal framework to reflect contemporary governance and administrative requirements.
Amends Section 47 to clarify that the Panchayat Secretary is the sole authority to exercise executive powers regarding construction licenses, repairs, and occupancy certificates, provided a resolution is passed.
The Bill seeks to clearly define and update the powers, duties and responsibilities of Panchayats and their related committees, reducing ambiguity and improving functional clarity in local self-government.
If the Panchayat fails to decide within the new 7 or 15-day windows, the license is “deemed to have been granted,” significantly limiting the local body’s ability to stall applications.
Amends Section 66 to grant protection to old buildings reflected in the “Record of Rights” and the first promulgated survey plan, effectively shielding historical structures from arbitrary demolition orders.
Amends Section 54 to allow Village Panchayats to hold up to four ordinary meetings a month by reducing the mandatory notice period for members.
The Bill introduces procedural changes aimed at improving operational efficiency, streamlining decision-making processes, and strengthening accountability mechanisms within Panchayat-level governance.
Relevance -
The Bill is consistent with Goa’s long‑standing pattern of limited devolution to Panchayats, reinforcing a model in which real decision‑making power remains with the State and its functionaries rather than with local self‑government institutions.
The reduction in licensing time from 45 days to 15 days is a major productivity gain, as it accelerates the conversion of capital into assets (housing and shops). By aligning with the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) 2024 standards, Goa is attempting to improve its national ranking in the ease of doing business index by removing the Panchayat bottle-neck.
Goa Mundkars (Protection From Eviction) (Amendment) Bill, 2026
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On 13th January, 2026, the Government of Goa amended Section 9 of the Goa Mundkars (Protection from Eviction) Act, 1975, to strengthen protections for mundkars, the traditional tenant cultivators or occupants. It mandates prior consent of the mundkar before a bhatkar (landowner) can sell or transfer land where the mundkar resides.
The primary objective is to protect the housing and security rights of mundkars by preventing land transfers that could undermine their legal status or lead to displacement, ensuring that mundkars’ interests are settled before any sale or transfer of land by the bhatkar.
Key Features -
The law amends the Goa Mundkars (Protection from Eviction) Act, 1975 to prohibit the transfer of a dwelling house by a bhatkar to any person other than the mundkar (tenant) without the prior consent of the mundkar.
A bhatkar may transfer the property where the dwelling house is situated only with the mundkar’s explicit consent by a registered instrument in accordance with law, without this consent, such transfers will be invalid.
Even if the bhatkar sells, exchanges, mortgages, leases, or otherwise transfers his land where the mundkar’s dwelling house exists, the mundkar’s rights in the dwelling house remain unaffected by the transfer.
Relevance -
Earlier, Bhatkars constantly transferred their properties, creating considerable hardship to mundkars, who were compelled to repeatedly amend their pending proceedings to substitute the new bhatkar in place of the earlier one. In many cases, the mundkars even remained unaware of such transfers, including the identity of the new purchaser, his address, and details of his legal heirs.
Historically, a bhatkar could sell land mid-litigation, forcing a mundkar to amend their court filings to include the new owner, creating infinite litigation costs. By requiring the mundkar to be a “Confirming Party” in any registered sale deed, the law ensures that the legal chain of title is not broken. This protects the housing equity of the mundkar, which is often their only financial asset.
A unique aspect of the Amendment is that it protects even those who have not been officially declared as mundkars yet. By prohibiting the sale of the “dwelling house” itself, the law prevents developers from buying land and then using “new owner” status to initiate fresh eviction proceedings against residents.
Introduction Of The Goa Agricultural Produce And Livestock Marketing (Promotion And Facilitation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026
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On 13th January, 2026, the Government of Goa introduced the Goa Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 with the objective of strengthening the agricultural and livestock marketing framework in the State of Goa.
The primary aim of the Bill is to improve market access, enhance facilitation for farmers and livestock producers, and better integrate marketing systems to support rural livelihoods.
Key Features -
Aligning the legal definition with the Krishi Card database, an agriculturist is now formally recognised if they hold at least 1,000 sq. meters of land and have sold produce worth at least ₹ 5,000 in the preceding year.
The Bill proposes amendments to Section 2 and other relevant provisions of the 2007 Act to broaden the scope for marketing initiatives and advance the regulation and facilitation of agricultural produce and livestock products.
Amends Sections 14 and 76 to replace the “Registrar of Co-operative Societies” with the “Director of Agriculture/State Marketing Officer” as the nodal authority for market operations and elections to the Marketing Board.
Introduces a provision where a Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Marketing Board can be removed by a simple majority of the total members, making the leadership more responsive to the board’s collective will.
Seeks to modernise the legislative framework to enable more efficient agricultural marketing operations, potentially including expanded definitions of market entities and updated facilitation measures to support producers.
By updating the 2007 Act, the Bill aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and enhance regulatory clarity, allowing for smoother operation of agricultural marketing activities across Goa.
Similar Initiatives In Other States - Assam Agricultural Produce & Livestock Marketing Act, 2020 encourages electronic platforms (e-trading) for sales and purchasing. Manipur Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2021 enables private market yards and direct marketing centres, moving beyond the monopoly of traditional APMCs. The Madhya Pradesh Souda Patrak initiative, allows registered traders to buy farm produce directly from farmers’ doorsteps at Minimum Support Price (MSP), bypassing mandis.
Relevance -
The Goa Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2007 was framed at a time when agricultural marketing was largely mandi-centric. Since then, supply chains have diversified (direct sales, aggregators, processors, digital platforms). The law aims to fully accommodate these newer models, reducing regulatory friction.
The Government is seeking to digitize and formalize the agricultural sector by connecting the definition of an agriculturist with the Krishi Card. This allows for targeted subsidy delivery and ensures that only genuine producers participate in the democratic processes of the Marketing Board. This reduces inclusion errors and ensures that the state’s marketing infrastructure is managed by active stakeholders.
D. Haryana
Online Portal For Regularising Factory Operations
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On 6th January, 2026, the Haryana Government launched an online portal to regularise factories operating outside designated industrial zones across the state. The initiative aims to provide legal recognition to informal industrial clusters and enable access to Government schemes and civic amenities.
The primary objective of the portal is to formalise unrecognised industrial units, resolve issues related to legal clarity, infrastructure access, banking and expansion, while ensuring continued compliance with existing laws and pollution control norms.
Key Features –
Launch of the RUIC (Regularisation / Use–Non-Conforming Zone) portal for factories located outside notified industrial areas.
Industrial clusters with 50 or more factories spread over a minimum of 10 acres at a single site can apply collectively for regularisation.
Legal recognition will enable access to economic schemes, banking facilities, civic amenities, and Government approvals.
Applicable to an estimated around two lakh factories and manufacturing units operating outside industrial zones.
Covers districts including Gurugram, Faridabad, Panipat, Rohtak, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Jhajjar, Bhiwani, Hisar, Karnal, and Panchkula.
Regularisation will facilitate provision of roads, sewerage, drainage, and other basic infrastructure.
Industries must comply with all existing rules and laws, including pollution control norms; no regulatory relaxations have been granted.
The process will ease transfer of ownership, expansion, and issuance of government approvals and NOCs.
Relevance –
The Haryana Government estimates that around two lakh factories operate outside notified industrial zones, leaving them without legal recognition and access to banking, Government schemes, and civic amenities. To address the lack of formal registration and provide regulatory clarity, the Government launched the RUIC portal.
The RUIC portal allows clusters with 50 or more factories over at least 10 acres to seek regularisation, granting legal status and enabling access to approvals, infrastructure, banking facilities, and Government schemes, subject to compliance with existing laws. The portal grants legal recognition to industrial clusters, enabling planned access to approvals, banking, schemes, and infrastructure. This integrates informal industry into the formal economy under uniform regulation and environmental compliance, shifting the state from fragmented enforcement to structured governance while improving service delivery without lowering legal standards.
E. Karnataka
Approval To The Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025
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On 7th January, 2026, the Government of Karnataka gave approval to the Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Act, 2025, a legislative amendment aimed at reforming the long-standing issues in the Jamma Bane land tenure system in Kodagu (Coorg) district by updating the land records framework under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.
The Bill seeks to modernise and legally clarify ownership, inheritance and mutation records for Jamma Bane holdings, a unique hereditary land tenure system in Kodagu to ensure accurate land records, reduce disputes, and enhance legal and administrative clarity in land transactions.
Key Features -
The Bill explicitly recognises and incorporates particulars of joint family members in land records for Jamma Bane holdings, a category previously governed by customary practice rather than statute.
It expands reporting requirements for the acquisition of rights in Jamma Bane land to include joint family interests, ensuring changes in ownership or succession are formally acknowledged in the official record.
Mandates that designated revenue officers in Kodagu District make and register entries in the Register of Mutations based on applications or reports relating to Jamma Bane lands, with appropriate procedural checks.
Strengthens the obligation to furnish information on family trees, survivorship, inheritance, alienation, mortgages, leases and other relevant particulars to ensure the Record of Rights (RTC) accurately reflects real ownership and succession details.
Inserts a specific clause in Section 127 to mandate the inclusion of particulars of joint family members for Jamma Bane holdings, effectively ending the 60-year mismatch between customary usage and Bhoomi (digital) records.
Amends Section 128 to extend the obligation of reporting land acquisitions to include “notional inheritance” and “family tree” details, ensuring the RTC reflects the complex survivorship structure of Kodava families.
Mandates that any correction in the Register of Mutations must be preceded by a transparent inquiry, with a 60-day window for appeals to the jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner.
Relevance -
The Jamma Bane system in Kodagu is a customary form of joint family landholding that historically lacked formal recognition in revenue records, creating a disconnect with the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964; the Bill addresses this by legally recognising such customary possession, enabling formal mutation and record-of-rights entries while preserving traditional usage rights within the regular revenue framework.
Historically, Jamma Bane lands were recorded in the name of ancestors who died over a century ago. This meant that major banks refused to offer mortgage loans for plantation development, making them a dead capital. By providing clear legal titles to all division-holders, the Bill allows these families to access institutional credit at reasonable rates instead of high-interest informal loans.
Regulatory Sandbox Framework for Emerging Technologies
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On 29th January, 2026, the Government of Karnataka announced that a regulatory sandbox framework will be established under the Innovation Authority Act, 2020.
The main objective of the initiative is to provide a structured environment where disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Deep-Tech, and FinTech can be researched and tested with temporary regulatory relaxations.
This approach ensures that innovation keeps pace with rapid technological changes while building long-term governance and accountability protocols in parallel.
Key Features –
The framework operates under Innovation Authority Act, 2020 that allows the state to grant temporary exemptions from certain regulations to facilitate real-world testing of new technologies.
It enables a Regulatory Sandbox, which serves as a “safe space” for startups and researchers to pilot products that currently lack clear policy guidelines.
The state is expanding Centres of Excellence (CoE) and deep-tech skilling initiatives to build the necessary technical competencies for a sovereign national AI architecture.
The framework promotes a collaborative model, bringing together industry, academia, and Government to shape future-ready policies.
A specialised Technical Secretariat will oversee the sandbox to monitor compliance and evaluate potential risks before technologies are scaled for the general public.
Relevance –
Regulatory sandboxes reduce compliance burden through selective, temporary regulatory relief on administrative and operational requirements, while preserving enforcement on consumer protection, anti-money laundering, and financial stability safeguards. This creates a “fast-lane” testing environment where fintechs develop products faster and more cost-effectively.
India’s digital ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with active internet users reaching 958 million in 2025, reflecting an annual growth of about 8%, This scale of digital adoption, underscores the growing deployment of advanced digital and AI-enabled technologies across sectors. The regulatory sandbox framework provides a structured mechanism for testing emerging technologies under regulatory supervision, ensuring that innovation evolves alongside governance and accountability frameworks.
II. Policy Level Announcements:
A. Delhi
Delhi Startup Policy, 2025
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On 14th January, 2026, the Delhi Government launched the Delhi Startup Policy, 2025, proposing a ₹ 350 crore, five-year plan to support student entrepreneurs and position Delhi as a national startup hub. The policy aims to nurture campus-born innovations into market-ready ventures and is currently undergoing stakeholder consultations for finalisation.
The primary objective of the policy is to provide equity-free seed funding, mentorship, investor access, and incubation support to student-led startups, while ensuring sustained ecosystem development without requiring founders to give up equity.
Key Features –
The establishment of a Delhi Student Seed Fund is planned to furnish early-stage capital to student-led startups without equity dilution. Furthermore, structured mentorship programs will be implemented to connect students with industry experts, incubators, and investors, offering guidance and facilitating market access.
Annual events, such as the Delhi Startup Yuva Festival to facilitate investor matchmaking and networking opportunities. Furthermore, expanded incubation linkages have been established across universities, colleges, and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), currently supporting over 470 startups under incubation.
Financial assistance has been immediately disbursed, with the top six awarded startups receiving ₹ 10 lakh each and the top 100 startups receiving ₹ 1 lakh each. Furthermore, ₹ 10 crore has already been distributed among 5,000 student teams from Government schools.
Promotion of sectoral innovation with dedicated zones for HealthTech, AgriTech, disaster resilience, and sustainability at Yuva Festival events.
Collaboration will be established with academic institutions, including Delhi Technological University, Lady Shri Ram College, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Ambedkar University, and others, to facilitate incubation and prototype demonstrations.
Similar Initiatives In Other States - Many states have introduced dedicated startup policies in recent years, with major states like Karnataka and Maharashtra among those that have recently updated the framework. Karnataka’s policy focuses on decentralised incubation and deep-tech advancement with scale-up support beyond major cities, while Maharashtra’s Startup, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Policy 2025 emphasises district-level incubation and seed funding, along with strong integration of startups into the state’s MSME and manufacturing ecosystems through plug-and-play and supply-chain linkages.
Relevance –
Delhi competes with Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune as the startup capital. The policy seeks to strengthen Delhi’s ecosystem by targeting the untapped segment of student entrepreneurs across universities, colleges, and ITIs, leveraging the capital’s concentration of premier educational institutions.
India has over 2 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, while Delhi hosts more than 15,000 startups, making it one of the country’s leading startup hubs. As competition among states to attract early-stage ventures has increased, the Delhi Startup Policy, 2025 seeks to strengthen Delhi’s position by providing equity-free seed funding, mentorship, and incubation support to student-led startups, leveraging the city’s academic institutions to enhance startup creation and long-term competitiveness.
In 2025, Indian deep-tech and early-stage funding saw significant contraction. By providing equity-free grants and a ₹ 200 crore VC fund, the Delhi Government acts as a “Lender of First Resort.” This is a market-failure correction, ensuring that high-potential student ideas do not die due to a lack of initial capital, eventually maturing into tax-paying, job-creating enterprises.
Delhi currently hosts 15,000+ startups, competing directly with Bengaluru and Hyderabad. This policy leverages Delhi’s specific advantage (i.e., a dense concentration of premier Central and state universities (DTU, NSUT, IIT-D). By providing 100% exhibition support (up to ₹ 10 lakh international), the state is helping local startups globalise their footprint early, solidifying Delhi’s rank in the Global Innovation Index.
The Carbon Credit Monetisation Framework
Source: Click Here
On 14th January, 2026, the Delhi Government proposed a Carbon Credit Monetisation Framework to convert the city’s green and climate projects into revenue-generating assets. The proposal aims to support pollution control and sustainability initiatives and is currently pending Cabinet approval.
The primary objective of the framework is to monetise verified emission reductions from existing and future green projects without creating any upfront financial liability for the Government, while aligning Delhi’s climate actions with national and global carbon markets.
Key Features -
Carbon credits can be sold in voluntary or compliance carbon markets.
The framework builds on existing green programs across departments such as Transport, Power, Forests, Delhi Jal Board, and Urban Development, with no upfront cost to the Government.
Emission reductions will be quantified and certified under internationally recognised standards such as VERRA and the Gold Standard.
The Department of Environment, Forests and Wildlife will act as the nodal agency, responsible for project identification, registration, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), and enabling issuance and trading of carbon credits.
Up to three expert agencies may be empanelled on a success-fee basis, with payments linked only to revenues realised.
Empanelled agencies will handle project assessment, documentation, validation, registration, credit issuance, trading strategy, and training.
Revenue from carbon credit sales will be used for pollution prevention, climate adaptation, and environmental management through a dedicated mechanism.
Relevance -
The Delhi Government’s past green initiatives in transport, power, plantation, and waste/water management have resulted in measurable greenhouse gas reductions. The new Carbon Credit Monetisation Framework will enable Delhi to treat these projects as revenue generators by converting each verified metric tonne of CO₂ equivalent reduction into a tradable carbon credit.
Delhi has implemented multiple emission-reducing initiatives. These reductions have not been systematically certified under internationally recognised carbon standards, limiting their eligibility for participation in formal carbon markets. The proposed Carbon Credit Monetisation Framework mandates that emission reductions be quantified and certified under globally accepted standards such as VERRA and the Gold Standard, enabling Delhi to issue credible, market-recognised carbon credits that can be traded in voluntary and compliance carbon markets.
Collateral-Free Loan Scheme For City-Based Entrepreneurs And Traders
Source: Click Here
On 28th January, 2026, the Government of Delhi announced a new initiative to offer collateral-free loans of up to ₹ 10 crore to city-based entrepreneurs, traders, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The scheme is aimed at strengthening business growth and providing financial support to local enterprises in the national capital.
The initiative will be implemented through designated financial institutions and banks that partner with the Delhi Government to focus on streamlining access to credit for eligible business owners within the city.
The primary objective of the initiative is to boost access to affordable credit for entrepreneurs and traders, particularly those who face challenges in securing traditional loans due to lack of collateral. This is intended to foster business expansion, investment in capital assets, and greater economic activity within Delhi’s urban marketplaces.
Key Features –
Eligible applicants can access collateral-free loans of up to ₹ 10 crore for business and working capital purposes.
The Government has allocated a fund of ₹ 50 crore for service loans worth ₹ 2500 crore.
The Centre will extend 75-90% guarantee to cover the loan, while the Delhi Government will provide the remaining guarantee
The scheme is designed for city-based entrepreneurs, traders, and MSMEs operating within the Delhi region.
Loans will be disbursed by participating banks and financial institutions, which will partner with the Delhi Government to implement the programme.
By eliminating the requirement for traditional security or collateral, the scheme aims to facilitate easier and faster access to credit for businesses that need financial support for growth or operational needs.
Relevance -
Businesses in Delhi, especially small and micro enterprises, traditionally faced barriers in formal credit access because of collateral requirements, which hindered their ability to expand operations. This scheme will reduce bank risk and improve loan access for entrepreneurs.
Limited access to affordable institutional credit has constrained business growth, especially for traders, startups and MSMEs without property or security to pledge. By reducing the need for traditional collateral and leveraging joint guarantees from CGTMSE and the Delhi Government, the initiative aims to streamline access to credit, enable businesses to secure working capital and investment funds more easily, and foster broader economic activity, with no cap on the number of eligible beneficiaries and an initial outreach target of one lakh enterprises.
B. Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Cluster Development Programme (APCDP) To Boost MSMEs
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On 10th January, 2026, the Government of Andhra Pradesh launched the Andhra Pradesh Cluster Development Programme (APCDP), a flagship initiative designed to strengthen the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and work towards doubling the state’s export potential by 2030.
The primary aim of the APCDP is to enhance the productivity, quality, technological capacity and global competitiveness of MSMEs in Andhra Pradesh by developing industry clusters, shared infrastructure facilities and comprehensive support mechanisms that enable small enterprises to scale up and integrate with domestic and international markets.
Key Features -
The Government will establish 45 Common Facility Centres (CFCs) across existing MSME clusters to provide shared infrastructure for advanced manufacturing, testing, research and development, packaging and quality certification, thereby improving productivity, product quality and energy efficiency.
The initiative has an approved budget outlay of ₹ 200 crore for implementation up to 2030, with costs of individual cluster projects ranging between ₹ 1 crore and ₹ 10 crore; the state Government will contribute up to 90% of machinery costs through a special purpose vehicle.
The programme is expected to generate direct employment for over 7,500 people.
Of the 45 clusters:
4 will be developed in 2025–26;
16 clusters in 2026–27;
15 in 2027–28;
10 in 2028–29.
The AP MSME Development Corporation will act as the implementing agency, and the strategy builds on earlier initiatives such as the One Family One Enterprise programme, 175 MSME Parks (one in each Assembly constituency), and the Private Industrial Parks Policy offering plug-and-play infrastructure.
Relevance -
By targeting existing MSME concentrations in Konaseema, Nellore, Srikakulam, Tirupati, Kakinada, and Rayalaseema districts, the programme counteracts coastal-Rayalaseema imbalance. CFCs in labor-intensive Rayalaseema clusters (garments in Raidurg-Anantapur, silk in Piler-Chittoor) upgrade these sectors to competitive manufacturing capable of export participation, reducing migration pressures and creating local employment. Distributed development across 45 clusters prevents winner-take-all concentration in Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada-Guntur corridor, aligning with the 175 MSME Parks vision of one park per constituency.
The programme targets diverse sectors reflecting Andhra Pradesh’s industrial fabric: printing, agri-based industries, gold and jewellery, food processing, and allied manufacturing. The programmealso builds on existing MSME concentrations in textiles (Guntur, Chittoor), pharmaceuticals (Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada), garments (Raidurg-Anantapur), and silk weaving (Piler-Chittoor). This sectoral diversity enables cross-cluster learning while preventing over-concentration in single sectors vulnerable to market downturns.
B. Telangana
Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy, 2026–30
Source: Click Here
On 22nd January, 2026, the Government of Telangana unveiled its Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy 2026–30 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
The policy aims to transition Telangana’s life sciences sector from a primarily manufacturing base to an innovation driven, globally integrated ecosystem, attract substantial investment, create high quality jobs, and position Telangana among the top five life sciences clusters in the world by 2030.
Key Features -
The policy sets ambitious targets to attract ₹ 2 lakh crore in investment and create 5 lakh new jobs in life sciences by 2030.
It marks a strategic shift from scale driven pharmaceutical manufacturing to value-led growth emphasizing R&D, advanced therapeutics, biotech, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, and bio-manufacturing.
Frontier platforms such as cell and gene therapies, precision fermentation, peptides and next-generation modalities feature prominently in the policy’s innovation focus.
The policy includes institutional reforms, such as recognising R&D units as full-fledged industrial enterprises to access incentives on par with manufacturing firms, and adopting AI, digital health, and next-gen therapeutics into mainstream industry growth plans.
A dedicated Life Sciences Innovation Fund with an initial corpus of ₹ 100 crore, scalable up to ₹ 1,000 crore, will support start-ups, scale-ups and translational research through public-private co-investment.
The policy’s infrastructure backbone includes initiatives such as Green Pharma City, ten Pharma Villages, expansion of Genome Valley, and strengthening of the Medical Devices Park, enhancing the biotech and life sciences ecosystem across the value chain.
Relevance -
Telangana’s life sciences sector has already demonstrated significant industrial momentum, attracting more than ₹ 54,000 crore in investments and creating around 2,00,000 jobs in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotech, MedTech and vaccine production, with Hyderabad emerging as one of the top seven global life sciences clusters. The policy builds on this foundation, aiming to more than double job creation and accelerate capital inflows, thereby deepening Telangana’s competitive edge in global life sciences.
Genome Valley and Hyderabad’s broader life sciences ecosystem host 2,000+ companies and over 200 USFDA-approved facilities, creating world-class infrastructure for production and R&D. The policy shifts Telangana’s focus from scale based manufacturing to value-led, innovation driven growth, attracting high-end R&D in frontier technologies like cell and gene therapies, precision fermentation and AI-enabled health solutions. This strategic pivot is expected to increase value capture and technological depth in the sector.
The global life sciences industry is increasingly shifting towards high-value segments such as advanced biologics, precision medicine, and cell and gene therapies, which demand deeper scientific capabilities and generate higher-skilled employment; Telangana’s policy is explicitly designed to align with and capture this innovation-led growth trajectory rather than remain concentrated in low-value traditional manufacturing.
D. Rajasthan
Semiconductor Policy, 2025
Source: Click Here
On 21st January, 2026, the Rajasthan Cabinet approved the state’s first Rajasthan Semiconductor Policy, 2025. The main objective of the policy is to attract anchor investments, develop world-class semiconductor parks, and strengthen the fabless design ecosystem.
By aligning with the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), the state aims to create a robust innovation hub that generates high-tech employment while promoting indigenous production and technology transfer.
Key Features –
The state will provide a capital grant equivalent to 60% of the capital subsidy sanctioned by the Government of India under the ISM.
Projects receive a 100% exemption from electricity duty for seven years, a 75% exemption on stamp duty, and a 75% land conversion fee waiver and 25% reimbursement.
To facilitate capital investment, a 5% interest subsidy is available on term loans taken from banks or financial institutions.
Special emphasis is placed on sustainability, offering up to 50% reimbursement for environmental project costs and a 50% exemption in consent fees for units certified under the Rajasthan Green Rating System.
Captive power plants dedicated to semiconductor units are eligible for a 100% electricity duty exemption for seven years.
Central Scheme Alignment - The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a Government of India programme to promote domestic semiconductor manufacturing and design through fiscal and infrastructure support.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
Gujarat has notified the Gujarat Semiconductor Policy, 2022–27 to promote semiconductor and display fabrication, ATMP units, and allied electronics manufacturing through infrastructure support and fiscal incentives. Tamil Nadu Government has notified the policy to promote semiconductor, display, ATMP, and advanced electronics manufacturing through fiscal incentives, state support for land and infrastructure.
Relevance –
The policy is a critical pillar for the national “Semicon India” program, which has a total outlay of ₹ 76,000 crore to reduce India’s dependence on semiconductor imports.
The semiconductor market is projected to reach $ 100–110 billion (₹ 9.2–10.1 lakh crore) by 2030, the Rajasthan Semiconductor Policy, 2025 is designed to capture a share of this growth by lowering upfront project costs through capital subsidies, land support, power and water assurances, and long-term fiscal incentives, making Rajasthan viable for fabs and component suppliers.
The semiconductor industry is notoriously capital-intensive with long gestation periods. Rajasthan’s 60% top-up grant acts as a risk-mitigation asset as by lowering the upfront capital requirement, the state is making itself viable for mature node (28nm and above) fabs, which are the workhorses for automotive and power electronics, sectors where Rajasthan already has an industrial base.
Rajasthan Youth Policy, 2026
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On 27th January, 2026, the Rajasthan Government unveiled the Youth Policy, 2026 to promote the all-round development of the state’s youth.
The policy is backed by a three-tier institutional structure for implementation, including a high-level committee, a state-level task force, and a core committee.
The primary aim is to empower young people through skill development, employment generation, entrepreneurship, and holistic well-being, ensuring they are equipped for economic participation and social transformation.
Key Features –
The policy focuses on enhancing access to quality education, career counselling, and future-ready skills, including emphasis on emerging technologies.
Places emphasis on employment generation and entrepreneurship, encouraging youth not only to seek jobs but to become job creators and innovators.
It includes measures to promote physical and mental well-being, with initiatives for healthy lifestyles, substance abuse prevention, and participation in sports.
It aims to develop leadership qualities and decision-making skills among youth, encouraging their active participation in democratic processes and governance.
It promotes social justice and gender equality, ensuring equal opportunities for all youth, with special focus on marginalised sections.
Cultural engagement is encouraged by connecting youth with the state’s art, culture, literature, and traditions, while also involving them in environmental conservation and climate action.
Relevance -
Rajasthan’s education, skilling, and employment systems must cater to a large and growing youth population, which is projected to be about 28% of the state’s total residents. To leverage this demographic into productive human capital, the state introduced the Youth Policy aims to establish a structured framework for skill development, enhancing employability, supporting entrepreneurship, and increasing youth engagement.
Youth unemployment in Rajasthan is a major issue, standing at a high rate of 27.7 per cent for the 15–29 age group. The Rajasthan Youth Policy addresses this challenge through a three-pronged strategy: improving Skill Development via district-level training, promoting Entrepreneurship with financial and incubation support, and enhancing the Workforce Transition from school to work through employability and apprenticeship programs.
Draft “Disturbed Areas” Bill, 2026
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On 21st January, 2026, the Rajasthan Cabinet approved a draft bill titled The Rajasthan Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from Premises in Disturbed Areas Bill, 2026, aimed at restricting the transfer of immovable properties in areas designated as “disturbed areas.”
The Bill will be placed before the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in the upcoming Budget session and, if passed, will empower the state Government to declare certain localities affected by communal tension, unrest, or demographic imbalance as disturbed areas.
Key Features –
Under the Bill, the Government can declare specified localities as “disturbed areas” based on prevailing conditions, including past instances of communal violence or unrest.
Any transfer of immovable property (sale, gift, lease, etc.) within a declared area without prior approval from a designated authority (e.g., district magistrate) will be considered null and void.
Violations of the proposed provisions would be treated as cognisable and non-bailable offences, attracting three to five years’ imprisonment and fines.
Similar Initiatives In Other States - Gujarat enforces the Disturbed Areas Act, 1991, requiring prior approval for property transfers in notified areas to prevent distress sales during communal unrest.
Relevance -
Rajasthan has witnessed periodic episodes of communal tension and localised unrest, particularly in urban and peri-urban centres such as Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Alwar, where disturbances have disrupted neighbourhood stability and, at times, led to property damage, displacement pressures, and distress-driven decisions by residents. Such incidents underscore how even minor triggers can escalate into wider communal flashpoints, affecting both social order and property security.
In the above context, the Bill seeks to introduce a preventive regulatory mechanism by requiring prior administrative approval for property transfers in officially notified “disturbed areas”, thereby protecting permanent residents and tenants from coercive or fear-induced property transactions during periods of instability.
This Bill is modeled directly on the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act, 1991, to shift governance responses from reactive policing to anticipatory urban regulation. Rajasthan is empowering district authorities to review property transfers in “sensitive zones” to prevent rapid demographic changes, speculative buying, and ownership alterations. This step is crucial, particularly in urban areas with communal sensitivities, as unchecked property dealings, especially during unrest, can exacerbate social divisions.
Rajasthan Aerospace And Defence Policy, 2025
Source: Click Here
On 21st January, 2026, the Rajasthan Government approved the Rajasthan Aerospace and Defence Policy, 2025, aimed at developing the state as a major hub for aerospace and defence manufacturing and services.
The policy aims to attract domestic and foreign investment to promote high-technology manufacturing, support MSMEs and startups, create high-skill employment, and strengthen Rajasthan’s industrial base by integrating it into national and global defence supply chains in support of India’s defence self-reliance.
Key Features –
Incentives are provided for establishing manufacturing units, component suppliers, precision engineering units, and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services related to aerospace and defence.
Projects are classified based on investment size: Large (₹ 50 cr–₹ 300 cr), Mega (₹ 300 cr–₹ 1,000 cr), and Ultra Mega (above ₹ 1,000 cr), with tailored incentives for each category.
Units in designated Aerospace and Defence parks can receive up to 75% reimbursement of state taxes for seven years as an asset creation incentive.
Manufacturing units are eligible for a capital grant of 20–28%, while service-sector units may choose a capital grant of 14–20% or a turnover-linked incentive of 1.2–2% for 10 years.
Additional incentives include employment boosters, sunrise boosters, anchor and thrust boosters, flexible land options, lease rental subsidies, and exemptions on electricity duty, stamp duty, and other state taxes.
Investment in captive power plants can be counted as eligible capital investment under the policy.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
Karnataka is a leading aerospace and defence manufacturing hub, supported by the Karnataka Aerospace and Defence Policy, 2022–27, which offers financial incentives and ecosystem support.
Uttar Pradesh has launched the Aerospace and Defence Unit and Employment Promotion Policy, 2024, designed to promote defense manufacturing and supply chain development, linking with the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor.
Relevance –
National defence production reached ₹ 1.5 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, while defence exports rose to ₹ 23,622 crore, indicating rapid expansion of domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Rajasthan earlier lacked a sector-specific framework to tap this growth and the Rajasthan Aerospace and Defence Policy, 2025 addresses this by offering capital subsidies, tax reimbursements and employment incentives to attract defence manufacturers and suppliers into the state.
The private sector share in defense production reached 22.5% in FY 2024-25. Rajasthan’s policy is a supply chain entry strategy as by subsidising MRO and component manufacturing, the state is targeting the high-margin midstream of the value chain, ensuring that the ₹ 23,622 crore export boost has a significant “Made in Rajasthan” component.
India’s space economy is currently valued at about $ 8.4 billion (₹ 7,700 crore) and is projected to grow to $ 44 billion (₹ 40,000 crore) over the next decade, driven by private participation in satellites, launch services and downstream applications. With limited existing presence in this sector, Rajasthan’s policy uses aerospace-linked incentives for precision engineering, components and MRO to make the state competitive for space-related manufacturing and services investment.
Rajasthan benefits from large land banks, strong road and logistics connectivity with the NCR and western India, and lower land and operating costs than major metros, making it a suitable and cost-efficient location for land-intensive aerospace and defence manufacturing projects.
E. Bihar
Bihar Semiconductor Policy, 2026
Source: Click Here
On 29th January, 2026, the Bihar Cabinet approved the Bihar Semiconductor Policy 2026, aimed at establishing the state as a leading destination for semiconductor manufacturing and design.
This policy aligns with Saat Nischay–3, Bihar’s flagship development roadmap for industrial expansion and technology-led economic growth.
Key Features –
The state offers a financial package where companies receive a subsidy of 60% of the amount provided by the Central Government. Since the Centre provides 50% Capital Expenditure support, the Bihar Government adds an additional layer of funding.
The policy covers the entire value chain, including semiconductor fabrication units, display fabs, and chip design centers.
To reduce recurring costs, the Government provides subsidised electricity and water, land allotment support, and a dedicated reimbursement of State GST (SGST).
Relevance –
The policy targets the creation of 2,00,000 jobs, ensuring that Bihar can address its long standing issue of youth migration. Bihar recorded an unemployment rate of 4.8% in July–September 2025 and a large share of its skilled workforce employed outside the state. The policy could help create high-value opportunities locally and gradually mitigate the brain drain of engineers and technocrats from Bihar.
This policy will help Bihar become a major part of India’s chip market which is set to hit $ 100–110 billion (₹ 8.3–9.1 lakh crore) by 2030 and can also take benefits of ₹ 76,000 crore outlay sanctioned under ISM to boost local manufacturing, design, and talent.
F. Tripura
Marketing Didi Policy
Source: Click Here
On 16th January, 2026, the Government of Tripura rolled out the Marketing Didi Policy, aimed at strengthening market access and expanding economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs, especially members of self-help groups.
This policy seeks to empower rural women by building brand identity, enhancing digital and e-commerce outreach, and facilitating access to broader markets beyond local communities.
Key Features -
The policy was adopted by the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) to support women-led enterprises, particularly those organised through self-help groups (SHGs), popularly referred to as “didis.”
It focuses on bridging the gap between production and market demand by promoting brand development, packaging, quality control, and access to modern marketplaces.
A key element is enhancing e-commerce and digital marketing capabilities, enabling women producers to connect with consumers beyond local and regional boundaries.
The policy also provides training, infrastructure support, and capacity building to strengthen women’s competitiveness in both traditional and modern market systems.
It aims to boost income generation for rural women entrepreneurs and promote indigenous products and crafts, contributing to sustainable livelihoods.
Central Scheme Alignment - The policy aligns with Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), which aims to alleviate rural poverty by organizing poor households into Self Help Groups (SHGs), which can access bank loans up to ₹ 3,00,000 at a reduced interest rate of 7% per annum with access to entitlements and public services.
Relevance -
Tripura has successfully mobilised 50,054 Self Help Groups covering nearly 5 lakh rural women under the TRLM, with 95% of the targeted 1.14 lakh women achieving ‘Lakhpati Didi’ status (annual household income exceeding ₹ 1 lakh). However, despite this production capacity, 91% of handloom and handicraft sales remain confined to local markets, with exports and e-commerce contributing less than 1%. The Marketing Didi Policy directly targets this structural bottleneck by creating dedicated marketing personnel to bridge the gap between production capacity and market access.
Rural women entrepreneurs in Tripura face chronic challenges from middlemen who control market access, resulting in exploitative pricing. Poor transport facilities, geographic isolation, and lack of direct buyer linkages force artisans to sell through intermediaries who capture the majority of value. This aims to create direct market linkages, enabling SHG members to realise better prices for their products.
Following the record-breaking ₹ 17.67 crore sales at the Saras Mela in 2025, the state recognised that the demand for Tripura’s products (like bamboo crafts) exists at a national scale. The Marketing Didi Policy is the scalability engine needed to sustain these figures year-round, rather than relying on seasonal fairs.
G. Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Circular Economy Policy, 2026
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On 13th January, 2026, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced the Circular Economy Investment Policy, 2026, aiming to boost recycling-based industries, attract private investment, and generate green jobs across key sectors such as textiles, automobiles, and electronics.
The main objective of the policy is to promote recycling, resource efficiency and investment in circular economy industries in Tamil Nadu by providing targeted incentives for recycling units, technology enablers and waste management platforms to support sustainable production, environmental improvement and long-term job creation.
Key Features -
The policy offers a 10% capital subsidy on eligible fixed assets, capped at ₹ 3 crore per entity, to support and encourage investment in circular economy projects.
Under the employment incentives component, the policy provides for reimbursement of employers’ EPF contributions for up to 50 newly hired Tamil Nadu-domiciled workers, along with skilling incentives of ₹ 10,000 per employee to support training in circular economy–related operations.
Payroll subsidy of up to ₹ 20,000 per employee per month for three years, linked to turnover and job creation, to encourage digital and efficient waste management solutions.
MSMEs can access capital subsidies, incentives for clean technologies, reimbursement for circularity certifications, patent filing support, innovation vouchers and marketing assistance under existing state MSME policies.
State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) will develop low-carbon green industrial parks in partnership with national and international stakeholders, integrating shared utilities for waste and water management and renewable power sourcing.
Relevance -
Tamil Nadu faces acute waste accumulation across multiple streams: the state generated 4.66 lakh tonnes of e-waste in FY 2024-25, yet only 17,000 tonnes (3.6%) reached formal recycling channels, with the remaining 96.4% handled through informal, unsafe, and unaccounted methods. As the second-largest e-waste producer after Maharashtra, and with 14,600+ tonnes of municipal solid waste generated daily, Tamil Nadu confronts environmental degradation, health hazards, and compliance failures under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. Additionally, 1.56 crore vehicles are expected to enter the scrapping market by end-2030, creating a massive end-of-life vehicle waste stream. The policy directly targets these waste categories (electronics, textiles, automobiles, plastics) converting liabilities into economic assets through formalised recycling infrastructure.
By 2030, an estimated 128 GWh of Lithium-based batteries will enter the recycling market in India. Instead of relying on volatile global imports for critical minerals like Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel, Tamil Nadu is building an urban mine to recover these materials locally, ensuring a stable supply for its massive EV manufacturing sector.
Currently, only less than 3% of e-waste in Tamil Nadu reaches formal channels. The policy uses payrolls and capital subsidies to pull informal recyclers into the formal economy. This institutionalisation is the only way to meet the stringent E-Waste (Management) Rules and prevent environmental externalities (groundwater contamination from unscientific dismantling).
H. Madhya Pradesh
Space Tech Policy, 2026
Source: Click Here
On 13th January, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved the implementation of the Space Tech Policy, 2026. The decision marks a significant step by the state Government to strengthen its presence in the space technology ecosystem.
Key Features –
The policy provides incentives across the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the space technology value chain, covering manufacturing, launch services, mission operations, and application development.
It seeks to promote satellite and launch vehicle manufacturing, including design, assembly, integration, testing, propulsion systems, avionics, and other space-grade components.
The policy encourages the adoption of geospatial and Earth observation technologies for governance and commercial use cases, including agriculture, disaster management, water resources, and urban planning.
Dedicated provisions are included for awareness, education, and talent development, such as the establishment of Antariksh Vihar, student engagement programmes, and enhanced participation in ISRO outreach initiatives.
The policy is projected to draw approximately ₹ 1,000 crore in investment to the space technology ecosystem over the next five years, concurrently creating an estimated 8,000 jobs within the state during the same timeframe.
Offers up to 40% of capital investment (capped at ₹ 150 crore per unit) for setting up space-grade infrastructure such as clean rooms, vacuum chambers, and vibration testing facilities.
Provides up to 50% reimbursement (capped at ₹ 50 lakh) for designing new products like AI-driven collision alerts and space robotics.
Includes a stipend of ₹ 10,000 per month for students domiciled in the state for industry-aligned internships in the SpaceTech sector.
Establishes a dedicated R&D center for astrophysics and space science in Ujjain.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
Gujarat - The Government of Gujarat has adopted the Gujarat SpaceTech Policy (2025–2030) to promote space technology manufacturing, innovation, and private sector participation within the state’s industrial ecosystem.
Karnataka- The Government of Karnataka has notified the Karnataka Space Technology Policy (2024–2029) to strengthen space R&D, startups, and downstream applications, leveraging the state’s existing aerospace and technology base.
Relevance –
India’s space economy, valued at approximately $ 9 billion (approximately ₹ 82.5 crores) in 2025, is projected to expand significantly as private participation in satellite manufacturing, geospatial services, and downstream applications increases. With space-technology activity largely concentrated in a few states, the SpaceTech Policy, 2026 provides a dedicated framework for Madhya Pradesh to strengthen its participation in this emerging sector and attract investment and innovation.
The policy leverages Madhya Pradesh’s established industrial foundation, encompassing 322 industrial parks, electronics manufacturing capabilities, technical institutions and 31 GW of power supply to build a structured ecosystem for space technology endeavours, such as satellite production, geospatial services, and downstream applications. By introducing a dedicated SpaceTech framework, the state aims to strategically direct its extensive industrial capacity towards this burgeoning high-tech sector.
I. Uttar Pradesh
Urban Redevelopment Policy, 2026
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On 29th January, 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Urban Redevelopment Policy, 2026. This policy seeks to transform the urban landscape by revitalising old, dilapidated, or underutilised buildings and areas.
The main objective is to promote planned urban growth and improve the ease of living standards.
Key Features –
Policy aims for redevelopment of city areas and buildings that were once developed but are now underutilised.
The move facilitates the redevelopment of buildings and structures that are 25 years old or more by streamlining approvals and enabling the creation of modern residential facilities.
The policy will facilitate the redevelopment of residential properties that, despite strong development potential, remain unused or underutilised, without placing any additional financial burden on the state Government.
Relevance –
This policy can leverage strong growth in Uttar Pradesh’s real estate market, where investments rose by 58% to ₹ 68,328 crore in 2025, up from ₹ 44,526 crore in 2024. The number of registered projects increased by 19%, and approved residential and commercial units grew by 22.5% year-on-year, creating an opportunity to redevelop old, dilapidated, and underutilised buildings. This policy in essence aims to shift increasing real estate investment and development toward the structured redevelopment of old, underused urban buildings.
By permitting higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) For older properties, the policy functions as a land value capture instrument, monetising latent urban land value and increasing economic density in land-locked cities. This directly supports the state’s $1 trillion (₹ 92 lakh crore) economy target by 2029, particularly through construction’s high employment multiplier across 200+ allied industries.
The policy redirects development energy inward towards redevelopment and intensification of existing built-up areas, reducing pressure for horizontal expansion, curbing urban sprawl, and enabling more efficient use of existing infrastructure and urban land.
III. Social Sector Schemes:
A. Gujarat
Financial Assistance Under Namo Laxmi Scheme
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On 27th January, 2026, the Gujarat Government announced that under the Namo Laxmi Scheme, it will provide ₹ 1,250 crore in financial aid to over 12 lakh girls for the 2025–26 academic year. The announcement was made in Gandhinagar and reported by media outlets.
The primary objective of this initiative is to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent girls from completing their education beyond primary schooling by supporting their continued enrolment in secondary and higher secondary classes.
Key Features –
Under the Namo Laxmi Scheme, the Gujarat Government will disburse ₹ 1,250 crore as financial assistance to girls across the state.
The aid is targeted at more than 12 lakh girls studying in secondary and higher secondary classes during the 2025–26 academic year.
The scheme aims to reduce drop-out rates among girls after primary education by addressing economic barriers to continued schooling.
Implementation is overseen by the Gujarat State Education Department and state education officials.
Relevance -
Gujarat has recorded 2.4 lakh school dropouts (a 341% increase from 54,541 in the previous year), including around 1.1 lakh adolescent girls, marking the highest level of girl dropouts in recent years, particularly at the secondary and higher secondary stages. The Namo Laxmi Scheme directly addresses this dropout challenge by allocating ₹ 1,250 crore to provide financial assistance to over 12 lakh girls enrolled in secondary and higher secondary classes during the 2025–26 academic year.
Beyond addressing dropout numbers, the Namo Laxmi Scheme targets the structural reasons behind girls’ secondary-level attrition by offsetting education-linked household costs such as transport, uniforms, and opportunity costs of domestic or wage labour. The assured, predictable nature of the transfer alters household decision-making in favour of continued schooling during the secondary and higher secondary stages.
B. Kerala
‘Connect To Work’ Scheme
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On 14th January, 2026, the Government of Kerala approved the revised guidelines of Connect To Work scheme. This scheme will be implemented through the Employment Department, and applications can be submitted via the portal eemployment.kerala.gov.in.
The primary aim of this initiative is to enhance employability and workforce readiness of educated youth by bridging the gap between academic qualifications and industry requirements and to facilitate structured transition from education to employment, particularly for job seeking graduates and postgraduates.
Key Features -
Under the revised norms, applicants must be permanent residents of the state, aged between 18 and 30 years, with an annual family income not exceeding ₹ 5 lakh.
The Beneficiaries will receive a monthly scholarship of ₹ 1,000 for 12 months, transferred directly to their bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Priority is given to educated unemployed youth, especially those facing difficulties in securing jobs despite formal qualifications.
Training partners and institutions are required to demonstrate placement outcomes, increasing accountability and result orientation.
Similar Initiatives In Other States - Karnataka’s Yuva Nidhi Scheme provides monthly financial assistance to unemployed graduates and diploma holders, ₹ 3,000 for degree holders, ₹ 1,500 for diploma holders, to support them during the job search period up to 2 years, reducing financial stress and helping them focus on employment or skill building.
Relevance -
Kerala exhibits a striking “education employment paradox,” despite near universal literacy and high educational attainment, the state faces an exceptionally high graduate unemployment rate of around 42% among the highest in India indicating a serious mismatch between academic qualifications and job market requirements. These guidelines aim to address this mismatch and improve employability, thereby enabling a higher share of educated youth to get jobs.
The first phase selected 10,000 from over 36,000 applications, with one-fourth selection rate indicating substantial unmet demand. Even the targeted 5,00,000 beneficiaries over time represents only a fraction of Kerala’s unemployed youth. With 29.9% youth unemployment and a working-age population in millions, the scheme reaches a minority of those needing support.
C. Maharashtra
Balasaheb Thackeray – MSRTC Sange Teerthatana Pilgrimage Tourism Scheme
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On 23rd January, 2026, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) launched the Balasaheb Thackeray – MSRTC Sange Teerthatana scheme to promote affordable and organised pilgrimage tourism across the state.
The scheme aims to make religious travel accessible, safe and affordable for people from all sections of society, particularly by offering concessional organised group tours to major pilgrimage destinations across Maharashtra.
Key Features -
The scheme will be implemented simultaneously across all 251 MSRTC depots in Maharashtra.
Tours are organised through groups of 40 passengers from each depot at reduced ticket rates, enabling structured and economical pilgrimage travel.
Women passengers and senior citizens receive a 50% concession on base fares, while senior citizens above 75 years are eligible for free travel on these tours.
Based on passenger demand, at least five buses from each depot will be deployed daily, resulting in approximately 1,000–1,250 special pilgrimage and tourism buses operating across the state every day.
MSRTC will use new, safe and comfortable buses for these tours, prioritising passenger convenience and journey quality.
Tours will be organised to major religious destinations such as Ashtavinayak, 11 Maruti temples, Pandharpur–Akkalkot, Tuljapur, Kolhapur–Panhala–Jyotiba, Ganpatipule, Shegaon and Shirdi based on demand.
Relevance -
Maharashtra with an estimated population of 12.5 crore has an elderly population share of 11.7%, which is higher than the national average of 10%. It is projected to increase further, to reach a 15% share by 2031. Given that elderly people undertake more pilgrimage, this scheme will specially benefit them.
Maharashtra recorded an estimated 16.1 crore local (resident) tourist visits in 2023, up from around 11.1 crore in 2022, reflecting strong internal travel dynamics. The MSRTC transport scheme can mobilise a significant portion of this local travel demand towards pilgrimage circuits, especially for groups and budget travellers who might otherwise prefer private vehicles or fragmented options. Better organised group tours may also reduce congestion and improve safety and cost-efficiency for travellers.
Maharashtra has experienced substantial growth in tourist footfall in recent years, with estimates showing ~18.9 crore domestic tourist visits and ~37 lakh foreign tourist visits in 2024, up sharply from 2022 levels, indicating strong overall travel demand in the state. By providing organised, affordable pilgrimage travel options, the MSRTC scheme can help capture a portion of this increasing travel demand, particularly from religious segments that contribute significantly to overall tourist inflows, thereby further strengthening the state’s tourism economy and diversifying travel offerings.
D. Telangana
Credit-Linked Capital Subsidy for Urban Self-Help Groups
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On 26th January, 2026, the Telangana Government, through the Telangana Food Processing Society (TGFPS) under the state’s Industries and Commerce Department, set a target to mobilise over 1,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to benefit from credit-linked subsidy support.
The initiative aims to formalise and strengthen urban SHG-led micro food processing units by facilitating access to Government subsidies, credit and technology upgradation support under the credit-linked capital subsidy component of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, with a strong focus on women entrepreneurs.
Key Features -
The scheme focuses on mobilising urban SHGs and micro food processors across Telangana to apply for subsidy support under the credit-linked capital subsidy component of the PMFME scheme.
Individual micro food processing units are eligible for a credit-linked capital subsidy of 35% of the project cost, capped at ₹ 10 lakh per unit, to support expansion or technology upgradation.
Beneficiaries must contribute at least 10% of the project cost, with the balance financed through bank loans.
SHG groups or members who have already availed seed capital under the PMFME scheme are also eligible to apply for the subsidy.
To aid implementation, district resource persons have been appointed to assist applicants with project reports, loan processing and execution.
Central Scheme Alignment - This state-level mobilisation effort is implemented under the central Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme, which is a component of the Centre’s broader food processing mission aimed at formalising micro food enterprises, enhancing access to credit, technology and market linkages for small and micro food processors nationwide.
Relevance -
Telangana has identified food processing as a priority sector for non-farm employment generation, especially in urban and peri-urban areas where informal food businesses dominate. Mobilising over 1,000 SHGs under this scheme can significantly contribute to urban livelihood diversification, reduce disguised unemployment, and strengthen local food supply chains by integrating SHGs into formal processing and marketing networks.
India has over 25 lakh unregistered micro food processing units, of which nearly 66% are located in rural and semi-urban areas and a majority operate informally, limiting their access to institutional credit, technology and formal markets. By mobilising SHGs to access credit-linked capital subsidies, this initiative directly addresses informality by incentivising registration, formal credit uptake and compliance, thereby improving productivity and income stability for SHG-led enterprises.
By integrating SHGs into the ODOP (One District One Product) framework, the Government is creating a unified brand identity for Telangana’s micro-processors (e.g., Turmeric from Nizamabad, Millets from Mahbubnagar). This allows small groups to access larger institutional markets like the e-commerce platforms, which were previously out of reach due to lack of relevant certification (e.g., FSSAI/GST).
E. Assam
Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme, 2026
Source: Click Here
On 25th January, 2026, the Government of Assam launched the Mukhya Mantrir “Eti Koli Duti Paat” scheme in Doomdooma, Tinsukia district, as part of the state Government’s efforts to support tea garden workers and commemorate the bicentennial (200 years) of Assam’s tea industry.
The scheme aims to provide immediate financial assistance and social welfare support to tea garden workers, acknowledging their historical contribution to Assam’s globally renowned tea sector and improving the socio-economic conditions of both permanent and casual workers across the state.
Mukhya Mantrir “Eti Koli Duti Paat” Scheme was introduced as the fulfilment of an electoral commitment of the Assam Government to improve welfare outcomes for tea garden workers.
Key Features -
The Government plans to disburse a one-time financial assistance of over ₹ 300 crore, amounting to ₹ 5,000 per worker, to tea garden employees.
Encompasses both permanent and casual workers across 836 tea gardens, spanning 27 districts and 73 assembly constituencies.
The initiative is being launched in conjunction with other welfare measures, such as mobile crèches and mobile sanitation facilities, to ensure improved child care, health, and dignity in workplace environments for tea workers.
The measures form part of a broader policy framework combining budgetary support with targeted interventions for tea tribes and indigenous communities, including employment reservations, land rights for tea garden worker families, and enhanced access to education and healthcare services.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
West Bengal has enacted the West Bengal Tea Plantation Employees’ Welfare Fund Act, 2015 to support the welfare of tea plantation workers and operates the Chaa Sundari Scheme, which provides up to ₹ 1.20 lakh per beneficiary for pucca housing for tea garden workers without permanent homes.
Relevance -
Assam’s tea industry is a major source of employment, providing direct work to around 6.86 lakh plantation and factory workers By providing a one time financial assistance of ₹ 5,000 per worker, this scheme can help alleviate immediate financial stress for thousands of workers and support essential expenditures, thereby partially addressing entrenched socioeconomic disadvantage.
Tea garden wages in Assam have historically lagged behind the national average. The ₹ 5,000 grant is a liquidity injection, targeting the Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC). The state is aiming to facilitate debt repayment and essential household spending for over 6 lakh families, potentially stimulating local rural demand across upper Assam.
F. Uttar Pradesh
Cashless Medical Treatment Scheme For Teachers
Source: Click Here
On 29th January, 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet sanctioned a significant welfare initiative that extends cashless medical treatment to teaching and non-teaching personnel.
The main objective of the scheme is to provide financial security and high-quality medical access to the state’s education workforce.
Key Features –
The scheme provides cashless In-Patient (IPD) care treatment in Government facilities and empanelled private hospitals.
Coverage includes regular teachers, Shiksha Mitras, special educators, vocational experts, instructors, and even cooks under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan scheme, along with their dependent family members.
A verification mechanism to identify beneficiaries will be led by committees chaired by the District Inspector of Schools and the Basic Education Officer.
The state has earmarked an annual expenditure of approximately ₹ 358.61 crore for the Basic Education Department and ₹ 89.25 crore for the Secondary education Department.
The scheme will provide high quality medical access to:
4,34,426 teachers of the Basic Education Council (BEC);
13,380 teachers of Government-aided junior high schools;
4,72,735 teachers of self-financed recognised schools under BEC;
1,42,929 Shiksha Mitras, 24,717 instructors of upper primary schools, 7,479 wardens;
full-time and part-time teachers of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas;
97,344 cooks under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan scheme; and
2,00,581 special educators and 2,97,579 teachers under the secondary education department.
Relevance –
The state pays a modest ₹ 3,000 annual premium to unlock a ₹ 5 lakh health cover for an employee’s family. This is a high-efficiency welfare tool as by shifting the burden of catastrophic health expenses (which can push middle-income families into poverty) to a centralised insurance model, the state stabilises the domestic consumption power of its 15-lakh-strong education workforce.
IV. Investment Announcements :
A. Telangana
Investment Commitments Worth ₹ 1.79 Lakh Crore At WEF 2026
Source: Click Here
The Government of Telangana on 15th January, 2026 announced that it has secured investment commitments worth ₹ 1.79 lakh crore during the four day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit held in Davos.
This aims to position Telangana as a global investment destination across high growth and future ready sectors, to generate large scale employment, including high end and technology driven jobs and advance the state’s long term development roadmap under the “Telangana Rising 2050” vision.
Key Features -
These investments are projected to generate approximately 49,550 jobs across sectors.
Major investment commitments included:
₹ 60,000 crore from Amazon;
₹ 45,000 crore from Sun Petrochemicals;
₹ 15,000 crore each from Tillman Global Holdings and Megha Engineering.
Global IT firms HCL, Infosys, and Wipro announced expansion of their Hyderabad operations, promising thousands of high skilled jobs.
Investments span cutting edge sectors, including solar cell manufacturing, rocket manufacturing, aircraft interiors design, UAV manufacturing, and defence production.
Relevance -
The state Government’s long-term development blueprint Telangana Rising 2050 needs tangible near-term validation to attract sustained investor attention and domestic political legitimacy. These investment commitments, including marquee names such as Amazon, HCL, Infosys, Wipro and Jindal, serves as an immediate credibility boost, signalling that global industry leaders endorse this vision. These high-profile MoUs help translate the long-range narrative into a set of concrete, near-term commitments, reinforcing Telangana’s positioning as a serious global investment destination.
While Hyderabad’s GCC (Global Capability Center) status remains strong with L’Oréal’s new AI-powered beauty tech hub, the MoUs show a pivot toward heavy manufacturing (Steel) and infrastructure-heavy energy (Pumped Hydro), pivoting towards portfolio diversification for the state’s GSDP, ensuring that growth is not vulnerable to a single-sector downturn.
Further, investments directed to Mulugu, Nagarkurnool, and Warangal signal that the Government is genuinely backing its “PURE” (Peri-Urban) and “RARE” (Rural Agri) zone strategy. By locating ₹ 12,500 crore steel units and large hydro projects in these rural districts, the state is deliberately preventing capital saturation on the capital while promoting more balanced, region-wide economic growth.
B. Andhra Pradesh
Investment Commitment For Establishing GCC Park And Data Centre
Source: Click Here
On 20th January, 2026, the RMZ Group announced a major investment commitment of ₹ 1 lakh crore (approximately USD 10 billion) for the Government of Andhra Pradesh, which was unveiled during discussions at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, 2026 held in Davos, Switzerland.
The initiative aims to significantly boost Andhra Pradesh’s infrastructure and economic growth by attracting large-scale investment across sectors such as technology, digital infrastructure, industrial development, and logistics.
Key Features -
RMZ plans to develop a 50-acre GCC Park within the Kapuluppada Phase-1 IT Park in Visakhapatnam, featuring nearly 10 million sq ft of built-up area to attract global corporations and boost the local GCC ecosystem.
A hyperscale data centre cluster with a targeted capacity of up to 1 gigawatt will be established in phases in the Visakhapatnam region to support next generation digital and AI workloads, with an emphasis on sustainability and green power integration.
RMZ plans to develop a large-scale industrial and logistics park of nearly 1000 acres in Tekulodu, Rayalaseema, which will support industrial manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics, boosting regional supply chains and industrial capacity.
The combined initiatives under the plan are expected to create around 1 lakh jobs across IT, data centres, logistics, industrial manufacturing, and related sectors.
Relevance -
Andhra Pradesh’s Data Centre Policy targets 6,000 MW of data centre capacity by 2030, positioning Visakhapatnam as a strategic alternative to saturated hubs (Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore). RMZ’s proposed 1 GW hyperscale data centre cluster adds to Google/Raiden’s 1 GW facility, collectively creating 2 GW capacity, one-third of the state’s target. This concentration leverages Visakhapatnam’s advantages, coastal location enabling subsea cable connectivity, proximity to renewable energy sources (solar, offshore wind potential), land availability (500-700 acres for RMZ alone), and Government commitment.
Andhra Pradesh has constituted the Data Centre Advisory Council to achieve 6,000 MW data centre capacity by 2030. RMZ’s 1 GW (1,000 MW) is essentially a liquidity magnet. Data centers have a high follow-on investment ratio; for every ₹ 1 spent on the shell, ₹ 3–₹ 5 is typically spent on IT hardware and software over a 5-year cycle. This investment effectively secures the state’s position as a national leader in AI infrastructure.
Andhra Pradesh’s IT/Digital investment is concentrated in Vishakhapatnam. The 1,000-acre Tekulodu park is a geographic hedging strategy, as it utilises the proximity of Rayalaseema to the Bangalore-Chennai industrial corridor to create a logistics-manufacturing hub.
C. Maharashtra
₹ 1 Lakh Crore MoU For Data Centre Park
Source: Click Here
On 19th January, 2026, the Lodha Group signed a MoU with the Government of Maharashtra in the backdrop of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, committing to invest an additional ₹ 1 lakh crore in developing a large-scale data centre park in the state.
The investment aims to expand Maharashtra’s digital infrastructure ecosystem, establish one of India’s largest data centre parks, attract domestic and global technology and cloud service providers, and strengthen the state’s position as a key hub for data storage, processing and cloud related services.
Key Features -
Lodha Group has committed an additional ₹ 1 lakh crore to its existing plans, bringing the total investment in the data centre park to ₹ 1.3 lakh crore (over a previous ₹ 30,000 crore investment).
The project will create a 2.5 gigawatt capacity data centre park, making it one of the largest in India by capacity and investment scale.
The development is projected to generate 16,000+ direct and indirect jobs over time as infrastructure, operations and ancillary services evolve.
Major international data centre players such as Amazon and STT Global Data Centres have already secured land parcels within the park, indicating early ecosystem interest.
Relevance -
Maharashtra commands 53% of national 1,530 MW operational data centre capacity, with Mumbai-Pune corridor constituting the densest digital infrastructure hub due to submarine cable landing stations, established cloud regions (AWS, Azure, Google), and proximity to financial services demand. Lodha Group’s ₹ 1.3 lakh crore total commitment creating 2.5 GW capacity positions Maharashtra to form over 50% of India’s projected 5 GW total capacity addition by 2030, defending market leadership against aggressive competition from Hyderabad (Telangana), Bangalore (Karnataka), and Andhra Pradesh (Visakhapatnam).
D. Assam
₹ 1 Lakh Crore Worth Investment MoUs Signed At WEF 2026
Source: Click Here
On 21st January, 2026, the Assam Government secured investment commitments worth ₹ 1 lakh crore during its first-ever participation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Key Features -
The state secured commitments of around ₹ 1 lakh crore through MoUs and investor assurances covering diverse sectors.
Discussions and interests shared by investors included green energy, semiconductors, technology, hydrocarbons, solar storage and industrial manufacturing areas that build on Assam’s resources and growth trajectory.
To convert the WEF-level commitments into actionable agreements, Assam plans to host a state investment summit in February, 2026 to formalise MoUs and implementation plans.
Relevance -
Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has expanded rapidly, with the state economy growing at around 13% annually over recent years and projected to maintain high growth into 2026, outpacing many larger states and the national average. By securing ₹ 1 lakh crore in investment commitments, Assam can mobilise capital to sustain and accelerate this growth trajectory, helping build sectors such as infrastructure, technology, green energy, and manufacturing that complement its existing momentum.
Lastly, Assam’s record 85% budget utilisation rate in 2024-25 provided the proof of concept needed for global investors. The state’s debut at the summit signifies that it has moved from governance by subsidy togovernance by partnership, leveraging its 13% GSDP growth as a competitive Return on Investment promise.
E. Odisha
₹ 52,000 Crore Investment Commitments At Enterprise Odisha 2026
Source: Click Here
On 28th January 2026, investment commitments of over ₹52,000 crore were announced at the Enterprise Odisha 2026 event in Rourkela.
Key Features –
11 industrial projects worth ₹ 5,708 crore were inaugurated and foundation stones for 9 projects worth ₹ 3,176 crore (totaling ₹ 8,884 crore in immediate groundwork) were laid.
A total of 22 MoUs worth ₹ 43,349 crore were signed during the event, alongside five investment intents worth ₹ 8,677 crore.
A total of 1,447.927 acres of land situated at Kamakhyanagar, Dhenkanal, was allocated to Vedanta Aluminium for the establishment of a 3 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) smelter alongside a 4,900 Mega Watt captive power plant.
The event highlighted the emerging Raipur-Ranchi-Rourkela (RRR) Corridor, fostering enhanced regional collaboration and shared growth prospects across state lines.
Relevance –
Western Odisha has traditionally been a mining hub. The ₹ 52,000 crore push is essentially a value-chain escalation. By focusing on downstream aluminum (Vedanta) and sponge iron (OSIMA), the state is capturing more of the manufacturing margin locally rather than just exporting raw ore.
Odisha reported a Unemployment Rate of 6.5% between July-September of 2025. The investment aims to generate over 20,000 jobs and to improve the lifestyle, income, and overall human resource potential of the youth in Western Odisha,helping reduce unemployment and youth migration from Odisha.
The Raipur-Ranchi-Rourkela Corridor serves as a structural solution to the isolation of inland industrial clusters. By integrating the mineral-rich belts of three states, Odisha is aiming to build a logistics buffer, making the region resilient to supply-chain shocks, positioning Rourkela as a central nodal hub.
V. Other Decisions :
A. Goa
Airline Incentive Scheme
Source: Click Here
On 17th January, 2026, the Goa Government finalised a ₹ 2 crore airline incentive scheme aimed at strengthening air connectivity at Dabolim and Mopa airports to support tourism and economic activity in the state.
The scheme’s primary objective is to attract new flight routes and additional frequencies by offering financial incentives to airlines, thereby enhancing both domestic and international connectivity to Goa, which is critical for its tourism driven economy.
Key Features -
Route Based Financial Incentives were announced airlines introducing new flights or routes to Goa will receive ₹ 2 lakh per flight under the scheme.
The state reduced the VAT on aviation turbine fuel to 15%, lower than the standard 18%, with the Government absorbing the difference to lower operating costs for carriers.
The incentive applies to services at both Dabolim Airport and Manohar International Airport, Mopa, reinforcing infrastructure utilisation across the state.
Central Scheme Alignment - The scheme aligns with and complements the Centre’s UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme) by supporting additional regional routes to under-served airports, while also reinforcing ongoing connectivity expansions through the introduction of new international routes to destinations such as Uzbekistan, Poland, Russia, and the UK.
Relevance -
Tourism is central to Goa’s economy, contributing around 16% of the state’s GDP and about 20% of all jobs. In 2025, Goa received 1.08 crore tourists (1.03 crore domestic and 5.18 lakh foreign), up 21% from the 1.04 crore visitors in 2024. However, between March-December 2024, Goa handled only 1,970 flights with 92,699 passengers (46,174 arrivals, 46,525 departures), indicating limited airlift capacity constraining growth potential. This scheme directly targets this constraint by subsidising airlines to add routes/frequencies, converting latent tourist demand into actual arrivals through expanded seat availability.
Every new flight to Goa is estimated to contribute significantly to the local economy through tourist spend. A ₹ 2 lakh incentive is therefore a high-yield investment. If a flight brings 150 passengers with an average spend of ₹ 30,000 each, it injects ₹ 45 lakh into the local economy per trip. The ₹ 2 lakh subsidy is essentially a customer acquisition cost of less than 5% for the state.
Despite reducing VAT on aviation turbine fuel to 15% under its airline incentive framework, Goa continues to levy a significantly higher ATF tax than several states that have brought rates below 4%, a gap that does not create much benefits for airlines in a major tourism-dependent aviation market.
B. Meghalaya
MoU With Amazon To Expand Market Access For MSMEs
Source: Click Here
On 19th January, 2026, the Government of Meghalaya, signed a MoU with global e-commerce giant Amazon to strengthen the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ecosystem by expanding market access for local enterprises.
The MoU aims to empower Meghalaya’s MSMEs especially traditional artisans, handloom and handicraft producers and women-led enterprises by enhancing product visibility and enabling wider national and international market access through Amazon’s digital platform.
Key Features -
The agreement was formalised at the Directorate of Commerce and Industries in Shillong, followed by a capacity building workshop where Amazon oriented more than 100 local MSMEs on online selling and platform tools.
The partnership introduces Meghalaya’s entrepreneurs to Amazon initiatives such as Amazon Karigar (focused on artisans) and Amazon Saheli (focused on women entrepreneurs), which help sellers list and promote traditional and value-added products to wider audiences.
Officials encouraged local businesses to register on Amazon with assured handholding support at the grassroots level to ensure smooth onboarding and ongoing engagement with the platform.
The MoU was signed under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), tying the initiative to a central support framework.
Under the agreement, the Meghalaya Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation (MHHDC), a state PSU under the Department of Commerce and Industries, will manage business operations on Amazon, including product listings, cataloguing and pricing for local MSMEs.
Similar MoU’s In Other States -
Madhya Pradesh - The Government of Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Flipkart under the Samarth programme to enable national market access for local artisans, craftsmen, weavers and MSMEs.
Uttar Pradesh - The Government of Uttar Pradesh signed two MoUs with Amazon India to promote e-commerce exports and digitally onboard MSMEs, weavers and artisans under the ODOP programme, supported by Amazon’s Digital Kendras providing training, logistics and seller enablement.
Relevance -
Meghalaya’’s handloom, handicraft, and artisan products, such as bamboo crafts, traditional textiles, indigenous value-added goods face chronic market access constraints due to geographic isolation, poor logistics connectivity, and limited buyer networks beyond local/regional markets. The Amazon partnership directly addresses this by serving 99.4% pincodes across the country and international export channels through Amazon Global Selling, transforming market reach from hyper-local to pan-India overnight without physical infrastructure investments.
Meghalaya’s industries department will have access to real-time market data (what colors of shawls are trending, which bamboo designs have high return rates, etc.). This data allows the Government to tailor its skilling and design development programs to actual market demand rather than estimated guesses, making state spending on MSMEs far more efficient.
C. Mizoram
Mizoram CSR Connect: A Portal Linking Corporates with Development Projects
Source: Click Here
On 27th January, 2026, the Government of Mizoram launched the CSR Matchmaking Portal, branded “Mizoram CSR Connect,” aimed at strengthening Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) investments in the state by linking corporate donors with development projects and implementation partners across sectors.
The main objective of the initiative is to improve the coordination and effectiveness of CSR funding in Mizoram by providing a transparent, structured digital platform that facilitates linkages between corporates looking to invest CSR funds and credible local agencies and projects requiring support.
Key Features -
The portal has been developed by the Mizoram CSR Cell under the Planning and Programme Implementation Department, in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, to provide a centralised interface for CSR engagement.
It functions as a digital bridge between CSR contributors and project proponents, offering detailed information on development projects, funding requirements, and implementation status to ensure transparency and accountability in CSR investments.
The platform is designed to facilitate data-driven planning and decision-making for CSR stakeholders, helping corporates identify credible initiatives while ensuring measurable outcomes.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
Telangana’s Government has established a dedicated platform called the “T-Social Impact Group” (T-SIG) to act as an intermediary that brings corporate CSR stakeholders, implementing agencies and Government departments onto a single platform.
Tamil Nadu Corporate Social Responsibility (TNCSR) portal was launched by the State Government in December 2025. It seeks to align CSR spending with the state’s development priorities by bringing Government departments, companies and civil society organisations onto a single digital platform.
Relevance -
Due to lack of any matchmaking portal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat accounted for 60% of CSR spending, while underdeveloped regions received less than 20% of the total CSR pool. In addition to the problem of geographic imbalance, the CSR spending pattern of the major corporations also appears to be heavily skewed towards a few sectors like education and health.
Mizoram received only 0.06 % of India’s total CSR expenditure, indicating that despite mandatory corporate spending on social causes, the state has historically attracted a negligible share of CSR funds. This highlights a significant gap in mobilisation and utilisation of CSR resources in the region. The Mizoram CSR Connect portal, by linking corporates with credible local development projects in a transparent digital marketplace, can help increase visibility, streamline engagement, and attract a higher share of CSR funding into the state’s development sectors.
Under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, eligible firms in India are required to spend at least 2 % of average net profits on CSR activities each year, a mandate that has generated large aggregate CSR expenditure nationwide. However, much of this funding tends to favour economically larger states and districts with established implementation networks. A structured portal like Mizoram CSR Connect can bridge the gap between mandatory spending and equitable distribution by helping companies identify verified development projects in underserved regions such as Mizoram, thus improving CSR outcomes and compliance impact.
F. Karnataka
The Karnataka Freedom Of Choice In Marriage And Prevention And Prohibition Of Crimes In The Name Of Honour And Tradition Bill, 2026
Source: Click Here
On 16th January, 2026, the Government of Karnataka proposed a Bill titled The Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to strongly affirm the right to choose one’s partner while introducing stringent penalties for violence, coercion and intimidation.
This Bill aims at preventing and punishing crimes committed in the name of “honour” and tradition, particularly those targeting inter-caste couples.
The Bill has been introduced in the aftermath of the murder of Manya Patil in Hubballi, allegedly killed by her family for marrying a man belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community.
Key Features -
The Bill seeks to move beyond post-crime punishment by introducing preventive mechanisms, including protection for consenting adults entering marriages against family or social opposition.
The Bill aims to address the role of family members, caste groups, or community assemblies that instigate, support, or condone honour-based violence.
It reflects an increased recognition of the state’s obligation to protect individual liberty, choice in marriage, and life, especially for vulnerable social groups.
Mandates the creation of a district-level forum (the “Eva Nammava Vedike” Forum) headed by a retired judge and senior officials to facilitate inter-caste marriages, provide counseling, and ensure safe-house relocation.
In cases of inter-caste abandonment, there is a rebuttable presumption that the promise was false from inception if caste bias is the primary reason for refusal.
The Bill broadens the definition of “honour-based crimes” to include not only killings, but also acts of harassment, social boycott, confinement, intimidation, forced separation, economic deprivation, and any form of coercion intended to control or punish an individual’s choice of partner or marriage.
The Bill prescribes stringent, graded penalties, including imprisonment extending up to life imprisonment for honour killings, and substantial terms of imprisonment and fines for abetment, conspiracy, instigation, unlawful assembly, or failure by community bodies or family members to prevent or report honour-based offences.
Similar Initiatives In Other States - Rajasthan enacted the Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2019 to penalise family or community interference in consenting adult marriages and deter honour-based crimes through criminal sanctions and state protection.
Relevance -
In 2025 alone, three cases of honour killings were recorded in Karnataka, majorly perpetrated by family members, showing that honour based violence is still a challenge at the state level. This Bill is relevant as it seeks to protect exercising of constitutional freedoms where social norms continue to constrain personal liberty, especially for SC/ST communities.
Further, by criminalising the denial of work or loans to inter-caste couples, the Bill prevents the asset depletion that occurs when couples are forced into destitution by community decree. This protects the productivity and economic survival of roughly 5,000 inter-caste couples who marry in the state annually.
Draft Rules For OCI Quota In Medical Education
Source: Click Here
On 23rd January, 2026, the Government of Karnataka published draft rules proposing changes to the eligibility and quota status of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) in medical and dental education admissions in the state, seeking to align state eligibility criteria with existing judicial and Central Government positions.
The primary aim of the draft rules is to clarify and standardise eligibility criteria for OCI card-holders in admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental college seats in Karnataka, especially concerning access to reservation benefits and seat categories.
Key Features -
OCI students born on or before 4th March, 2021, or those who held an OCI card before that date, will not be entitled to reservations applicable to Indian citizens but may still compete for general merit seats.
OCI students born or granted OCI status after 4th March, 2021 will only be eligible for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or supernumerary seats in medical and dental programmes.
The draft rules seek to align with the Supreme Court’s interpretation that OCI card-holders are treated as foreign nationals for the purposes of educational reservations, ensuring state regulations reflect judicial precedent and central rules.
These draft rules apply to both undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental degree and diploma courses, affecting admissions in Government and private educational institutions across Karnataka under the relevant state admissions framework.
The Government has invited objections, suggestions or feedback from the public within 15 days from the publication of the draft notification (published on 21st January, 2026) before finalisation of the rules.
Relevance -
Historically, Karnataka has seen modest but notable participation from OCIs in competitive admissions, about 100 OCI applicants each year for engineering and around 20 for medical seats. This initiative is expected to lower competition from OCI candidates in state quota and reservation categories, thereby increasing seat availability for resident Indian students, while also bringing greater regulatory clarity and uniformity in admissions by eliminating ambiguities that previously allowed OCI applicants to access reservations under state rules.
E. Haryana
Electricity Tariff Subsidy For Micro And Small Enterprises
Source: Click Here
On 14th January, 2026, the Haryana Government announced a major relief measure for micro and small enterprises by reducing the electricity tariff to ₹ 2 per unit for eligible industrial units.
The decision has been implemented through the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) under the Haryana Enterprises and Employment Policy (HEEP), 2020 and applies to select industrial blocks across the state.
The primary objective of the initiative is to reduce operational costs for micro and small industries, enhance their competitiveness, and provide targeted support to industrial units operating in relatively backward regions of Haryana.
Key Features –
The subsidised electricity tariff of ₹ 2 per unit is applicable to micro and small enterprises located in C and D category blocks under the DHBVN jurisdiction.
Eligibility is restricted to units with connected load up to 40 kW in D-category blocks and up to 30 kW in C-category blocks.
Only enterprises possessing a valid Udyam Registration Certificate will be eligible, which will serve as the sole proof for availing the subsidy.
The subsidy has been notified under HEEP, 2020, and any subsidy wrongly disbursed will be recovered under penalty provisions of the scheme.
The move is expected to benefit 6.5–7 lakh micro and small units out of nearly 8.7 lakh MSEs in the state, particularly in energy-intensive sectors such as textiles, engineering goods, auto components, and food processing.
Relevance –
Haryana has around 9.8 lakh industrial units, of which nearly 8.7 lakh are micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Many of these enterprises operate in energy-intensive sectors such as textiles, engineering goods, auto components, and food processing and face high electricity costs at the prevailing industrial tariff of about ₹ 6.95 per unit. To reduce this operational cost burden and enhance competitiveness of these smaller units, the Government implemented the subsidised electricity tariff of ₹ 2 per unit for eligible MSEs.
The subsidy applies only to low-load micro and small enterprises with connected load up to 40 kW in D blocks and 30 kW in C blocks, which are the most cost-sensitive units. By reducing the tariff to ₹ 2 per unit, the policy lowers a major fixed input cost for these enterprises, improving their ability to sustain operations.
For most MSMEs, electricity and energy costs account for roughly 12–15% of total production costs, making power tariffs a critical determinant of competitiveness; in C and D category blocks, which are industrially backward regions, firms typically operate on thin margins and face capital constraints, so lowering electricity costs materially improves viability by freeing resources for survival, expansion, and reinvestment.
F. Tripura
No Helmet Mandate For Road Safety
Source: Click Here
On 17th January, 2026, the Government of Tripura rolled out a suite of multiple road safety policies and enforcement measures aimed at drastically reducing road accidents, injuries and fatalities across the state.
The primary objective of the initiative is to curb road accidents and fatalities by strengthening road safety enforcement, improving compliance with traffic rules, and fostering responsible driving behavior among road users in Tripura, in line with national road safety goals.
Key Features -
Motorists without helmets will be denied petrol assistance at fuel stations, promoting compulsory use of safety gear for riders and pillion passengers.
A corresponding policy mandates that Government employees riding two-wheelers without helmets will not be permitted to register their attendance at work, reinforcing helmet compliance even among public servants.
The Transport and Police Departments are coordinating to deploy personnel at key locations (including petrol stations) to enforce helmet use, monitor speed limits, and ensure adherence to traffic rules.
District administrations and police units are implementing a “Zero Fatality Month” plan with focus on awareness drives, public outreach, rallies and campaigns under slogans such as ‘Safe Helmet, Safe Journey’ to drive behavioural change.
Additional measures include expanding CCTV surveillance, GPS-based vehicle monitoring, speed guns at accident-prone spots, and construction of pedestrian footpaths to improve overall road safety infrastructure.
Relevance -
Road accidents constitute a profound public health emergency and economic drain that justifies aggressive policy intervention. India recorded 4.73 lakh road accidents and 1.70 lakh deaths in 2024, with Tripura recording over 500 accidents and over 200 fatalities. Two-wheeler riders face disproportionate vulnerability, accounting for around 45% of all road accident fatalities nationally, despite two-wheelers representing a smaller share of total vehicles. The policy’s emphasis on compulsory use of helmets, adherence to traffic rules and responsible driving behaviour will reduce the number of accidents and limit their severity.
G. Himachal Pradesh
Solar Power Tariffs For Grid-Connected Projects
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On 14th January, 2026, the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) notified new generic levelised solar power tariffs for FY 2026–27, setting rates between ₹ 3.34 and ₹ 3.52 per unit for grid-connected solar projects up to 5 MW, with the objective of boosting renewable energy deployment while ensuring fair pricing for producers and consumers.
The primary aim of the tariff order is to promote investment in solar energy across rural and urban areas, provide pricing certainty to developers, and support Himachal Pradesh’s clean energy transition in line with state and national renewable energy goals.
Key Features –
Solar projects have been classified based on capacity and location, with differentiated tariffs to reflect cost variations.
For rural/non-industrial areas, tariffs are fixed at:
₹ 3.47 per unit for load up to 1 MW;
₹ 3.40 per unit for load between 1–3 MW;
₹ 3.34 per unit for load between 3–5 MW.
For urban/industrial areas, tariffs are slightly higher at:
₹ 3.52 per unit for load up to 1 MW;
₹ 3.46 per unit for load between 1–3 MW;
₹ 3.40 per unit for load between 3–5 MW.
The order assumes a 25-year project life, a 70:30 debt-equity ratio, and a 14% return on equity, with standardised capital and operation and maintenance cost norms.
The tariffs apply to projects whose power purchase agreements (PPAs) are filed between 1st April, 2026 and 31st March, 2027 and are commissioned by March 2028. Further,projects above 5 MW are excluded and must be developed through competitive bidding.
Relevance –
The new levelised solar tariffs of ₹ 3.34–₹ 3.52 per unit were introduced to support renewable energy growth across the state by providing clear, standardised pricing for solar power projects. Establishing transparent tariffs helps reduce uncertainty for developers and encourages increased investment in solar capacity, which supports broader clean energy targets.
The tariff order aims to balance the needs of solar energy producers and electricity consumers by setting prices that are reasonable for project developers while keeping electricity affordable. Providing defined tariffs for projects up to 5 MW offers pricing certainty that can improve project viability and uptake of solar power in both rural and urban areas.
H. Madhya Pradesh
MoU For Multilingual Digital Governance Through BHASHINI
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On 15th January, 2026, the Government of Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The primary aim of this initiative is to enable multilingual, AI-driven digital governance in Madhya Pradesh by integrating BHASHINI’s language technologies across state Government digital platforms, ensuring wider and more inclusive access to public services in multiple languages.
Key Features-
The MoU formalises collaboration between the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Digital India BHASHINI Division for multilingual digital governance.
BHASHINI’s language technologies, translation APIs, and AI-powered language tools will be integrated into state Government digital platforms.
The partnership supports the deployment of voice-first and multilingual AI solutions across Madhya Pradesh’s digital governance ecosystem.
The collaboration aligns with BHASHINI’s national mandate of embedding national languages into the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The initiative aims to strengthen accessibility, inclusivity, and last-mile service delivery for citizens from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Central Initiative Alignment - Aligns with the Central Government’s Digital India BHASHINI / National Language Translation Mission, operationalising its multilingual AI and language-technology framework at the state level to extend Indian-language Digital Public Infrastructure and inclusive e-governance.
Relevance –
Madhya Pradesh is home to a linguistically diverse population where regional languages and dialects such as Malvi, Bundeli, Bagheli and Nimadi are actively spoken. The MoU enables the integration of AI-driven multilingual and language translation technologies into state digital platforms, thereby aligning digital governance with this linguistic diversity and facilitating broader access to public services for speakers of multiple Indian languages.
The MoU operationalises the use of BHASHINI as part of IDPI by enabling its deployment across state Government digital systems and supporting multilingual, voice-enabled digital governance in Madhya Pradesh.
In rural Madhya Pradesh, digital literacy is often hampered by functional illiteracy. By using voice-enabled AI, the state effectively zeroes the cost of navigating complex Government websites. This increases the velocity of service delivery, where a farmer in Nimad can apply for a subsidy via voice command, reducing the need for expensive cyber cafe intermediaries or middlemen.
While the state uses Hindi, the lived language of citizens varies across Malwi, Bundeli, Bagheli, and Nimadi. This MoU addresses the dialect gap. It ensures that digital governance is not just translated but localised. This is crucial for high-impact sectors like Health (Tele-medicine) and Agriculture (Kisan Advice), where a misunderstanding of technical terms in standard Hindi can lead to real-world losses.
I. Assam
Atal Vichal Agragami Assam Scheme
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On 21st January 2026, the Assam government introduced the scheme “Atal Vichal Agragami Assam”, providing eligible research scholars with monthly financial assistance of ₹25,000.
The scheme aims to alleviate financial constraints faced by research scholars, enabling them to focus on high quality research, innovation and academic excellence, while nurturing Assam’s ambition to become a knowledge driven economy by investing in human capital and research infrastructure.
Key Features -
Eligible research scholars will receive a monthly stipend of ₹ 25,000 to support academic activities and research work.
Divyang (persons with disabilities) research scholars will receive enhanced monthly support of ₹ 40,000,The initiative is scheduled to be formally launched on 11th February, 2026, providing timely relief before the next academic and research cycle.
Financial assistance is intended to cover costs associated with research materials, fieldwork, data collection and living expenses that often strain scholars financially.
Similar Initiatives In Other States -
Karnataka’s Backward Classes PhD Fellowship provides ₹10,000 per month for up to three years to support full-time doctoral research by socially disadvantaged students, while Kerala’s KSCSTE Research Fellowship funds meritorious PhD scholars in science and engineering through a competitive selection process to strengthen the state’s research ecosystem.
Relevance -
India has one of the lowest doctoral enrolment ratios among major economies, with PhD scholars accounting for approximately 0.5% of total higher education enrolment. Financial insecurity remains a key barrier, particularly in state universities where institutional fellowships are limited and delays in Central fellowships such as UGC-JRF and CSIR-NET are common. The monthly assistance of ₹ 25,000 under this scheme directly addresses this gap by providing a predictable income stream, helping scholars meet living expenses, fieldwork costs, and research material requirements.
Traditionally, Assam’s top scholars migrate to Delhi or Hyderabad for better funding. By matching Central fellowship levels (₹ 25,000 is competitive with non-JRF university stipends), the state is incentivising talent to stay and solve Assam-centric problems (e.g., flood management, tea-tannin research, or ethnic studies).
J. Kerala
Cardamom Farmers Subsidy Scheme Under Kera Project
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On 18th January, 2026, the Kerala Government, through its Agriculture Department and with support from the World Bank-backed Kerala Climate Resilient Agri-Value Chain Modernisation (KERA) Project, announced a financial assistance and subsidy scheme for cardamom farmers in Idukki district aimed at revitalising cardamom cultivation.
The primary objective of the initiative is to support the replanting of unproductive or low yield cardamom plantations with high yield, climate resilient varieties while improving productivity, income and climate adaptability of cardamom farming in Kerala.
Key Features -
Farmers receive ₹ 1,00,000 per hectare to replace old cardamom plants with improved varieties. The amount is released in two installments: ₹ 50,000 in Year-1 and ₹ 50,000 in Year-2.
The scheme plans to replant about 3,500 hectares of cardamom plantations in Idukki district, benefiting around 7,000 cardamom farmers, with eligibility extended to cultivators owning between 25 cents and 8 hectares of land, while subsidy support is capped at a maximum of 2 hectares per farmer.
The nurseries producing quality cardamom suckers will be provided subsidies to ensure the availability of improved planting material, while the full cost of obtaining Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification for individual farmers and farmer groups will be reimbursed.
Beneficiaries are given technical guidance and training in scientific and climate-resilient farming practices to enhance productivity and income.
Applicants must register and apply through the KERA online portal, identity, land ownership records and relevant certificates must be submitted.
Relevance -
Idukki district accounts for over 40,000 hectares of Kerala’s cardamom cultivation (88% of national production) experienced severe climate distress in 2024. A prolonged drought followed by heavy rains, caused fungal outbreaks that destroyed 90% of cardamom crops in the district. The subsidy directly responds to this climate crisis by enabling farmers to replace unproductive, climate-vulnerable plantations with drought-resistant, high-yield varieties capable of withstanding increasing temperature volatility.
Idukki farmers adopted near-total dependence on a single variety Njallani which offered high yields and year-round harvesting but required 40% less shade than traditional varieties, incentivising tree-cutting. The replanting scheme promotes improved varieties and climate resilient alternatives, enabling farmers to transition from unsustainable Njallani monoculture to diversified, indigenous varieties like Mysore Vazhukka, Kanipparamban, 9 Bolt, Elam Rani, and Palakkudi that are naturally drought-resistant despite lower yields.
K. Delhi
Comprehensive Borewell Survey To Frame Water Usage Policy
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On 27th January, 2026, the Delhi Government announced plans to conduct a comprehensive survey of borewells in the city to help frame a new water usage and borewell policy.
The initiative is being carried out by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which has appointed the Central Government’s PSU WAPCOS to conduct the extensive borewell mapping and data collection exercise. The survey will determine the exact quantity of groundwater being extracted and inform policy formulations aimed at sustainable water usage and management.
The primary objective of the survey and ensuing policy is to anticipate future water demand, address Delhi’s limited water sources, and reduce excessive dependency on groundwater, especially as the city’s population is projected to rise significantly over the coming decades.
Key Features –
The mega survey will map and assess water extraction from borewells across Delhi to understand current extraction levels.
The findings will support the framing of a new water usage and borewell policy that may include mechanisms such as self-declaration by borewell owners to better regulate extraction.
The policy aims to plan for future demand, given projections that Delhi’s population could reach about 2.9 crore by 2041 and 3.21 crore by 2051, increasing pressure on water resources.
DJB currently operates multiple water treatment plants and relies partly on borewell extraction, highlighting the need for sustainable groundwater management.
Alignment with Central Scheme - The borewell survey aligns with two Central Government initiatives: Atal Bhujal Yojana, which promotes data-driven, community-linked groundwater management to regulate extraction in stressed aquifers; and the National Aquifer Mapping Programme, which focuses on scientific aquifer mapping and assessment to enable evidence-based groundwater planning and regulation.
Relevance -
Delhi currently relies on borewell extraction alongside its treatment plants to meet water needs, and increasing dependence without regulation risks unsustainable groundwater depletion. The planned borewell mapping and data collection exercise is intended to provide an accurate picture of extraction levels, which will directly inform sustainable extraction limits, potential self-declaration mechanisms for borewell owners, and other regulatory components of the forthcoming water usage and borewell policy.
Delhi’s water planning faces pressure from rising demand and the absence of reliable data on groundwater extraction through borewells. With the city’s population projected to increase to 2.9 crore by 2041 and 3.21 crore by 2051, demand on limited water sources is expected to intensify, while borewell extraction remains largely unquantified. The borewell mapping exercise is designed to quantify extraction levels and feed into a new water usage and borewell policy, including possible self-declaration mechanisms, to regulate use and reduce excessive reliance on groundwater as future demand rises.
The policy actions recorded during this fortnight underscore a clear shift in state-level governance from incremental administration toward outcome-linked regulation, investment facilitation, and institutional redesign. High-impact reforms such as Tamil Nadu’s comprehensive water regulation framework, Bihar’s mandatory geo-spatial planning for infrastructure, and Karnataka’s regulatory sandbox for emerging technologies indicate growing emphasis on data-driven governance and long-term resource management.
At the same time, sector-focused policies particularly in semiconductors, life sciences, MSMEs, and urban redevelopment signal intensified inter-state competition for capital, jobs, and technology ecosystems. With multiple states committing incentives equivalent to 60% of central subsidies, offering long-duration tax reimbursements, and tying public support to employment and export outcomes, subnational policymaking is becoming more strategic, fiscally explicit, and investment-oriented. This period highlights how India’s growth trajectory is increasingly shaped not only by national policy, but by the cumulative direction and execution capacity of its states.