Chandigarh, Mar 19: To foster a business-friendly environment, the Government of India has initiated reforms in Chandigarh, aiming to ease zoning regulations, simplify land-use change procedures, and digitise regulatory approvals.
The first meeting of the Chandigarh Compliance Reduction and De-Regulation Task Force, led by the Cabinet Secretariat, was held on Wednesday to streamline business regulations and enhance the ease of doing business in the city.
“The focus is on reducing compliance burdens in key areas, including land use, building regulations, labour laws, utilities, and permissions,” said SCL Das, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, who co-chaired the meeting alongside Rajiv Verma, Chief Secretary, Chandigarh. Das is spearheading the de-regulation drive for the Union Territory.
Key proposals discussed included relaxing zoning norms to allow mixed-use development, easing floor area ratio (FAR) restrictions for construction projects, and integrating third-party inspections into existing regulatory frameworks. The task force also considered permitting night-time employment for women, extending working hours, and simplifying industrial layoff regulations under labour law reforms.
Additionally, faster approvals for industrial licences, fire NOCs, and environmental clearances through a single-window system were proposed. The task force also reviewed a plan to integrate Chandigarh’s GIS-based Master Plan with the PM Gati Shakti portal for efficient land-use planning.
“These measures will not only streamline business operations but also promote planned development in the city,”Das mentioned.
The task force, which will continue monitoring the implementation of these reforms, aims to propose further simplifications to boost Chandigarh’s business ecosystem.
The meeting, convened by Nishant Kumar Yadav, Secretary, Industries-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, included Finance Secretary Diprava Lakra, Home Secretary Mandeep Singh Brar, Education Secretary Prerna Puri, and Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar.
Das was accompanied by Anuja Bapat, Deputy Director General, Ministry of MSME; Nayantara Sasikumar, Director, Ministry of MSME; Prerna Joshi, Director, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; Anshuman Kamila, Deputy Director, Cabinet Secretariat; and Darpajit Sengupta, Young Professional, NITI Aayog.
