Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 29
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed an Ease of Doing Business Bill on Tuesday aimed at reducing regulatory delays and simplifying approvals for businesses.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the legislation sought to replace excessive regulation and bureaucratic delays with time-bound approvals and a system based on trust and risk.
He said the government should facilitate private investment rather than directly operate commercial enterprises.
“We have a habit of not wanting to trust anyone,” Omar said, arguing that businesses should not face unnecessary suspicion when seeking to invest in Jammu and Kashmir.
The legislation introduces a “permission by exception” approach under which approvals would generally be granted unless an activity falls within specified areas requiring scrutiny.
It also provides for risk-based regulation, with greater oversight for higher-risk activities and fewer controls for lower-risk businesses.
A key provision is deemed approval, under which an application would be treated as approved if the concerned department fails to grant or reject permission within the prescribed period.
Omar said prolonged delays in processing applications could create opportunities for corruption and that the new mechanism was intended to prevent officials from deliberately holding up files.
The Bill also provides for third-party certification for certain functions.
Omar said the reforms would not permit businesses to bypass land, environmental or wildlife laws. Permissions could be cancelled if investigations found that businesses had been established illegally on protected or government land.
The government expects the new framework to encourage investment and create jobs, he said.
The Assembly passed the Bill by voice vote.
