Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 19
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry will set up a joint committee of business representatives, civil society groups, environmentalists and experts to examine concerns over Jammu and Kashmir’s newly assented Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026, the chamber said on Monday.
The decision followed a stakeholder meeting chaired by KCCI President Javid Ahmad Tenga, where industry representatives broadly welcomed the legislation as a way to reduce bureaucratic delays and facilitate investment, while experts called for greater clarity on its implications for land use, building regulations and environmental protection.
Tenga said the business community had long sought simpler procedures and an end to unnecessary delays in obtaining approvals.
He said most provisions of the law had received industry support but acknowledged that some required further examination.
“The objective is not to oppose the legislation or dilute its purpose of facilitating business and investment,” Tenga said, adding that economic development should go hand in hand with environmental protection and planned urban growth.
The committee will include representatives of the Group of Concerned Citizens, the Environmental Policy Group and other relevant fields. It will examine disputed provisions and identify areas where clarification or additional safeguards may be needed.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah introduced the bill in the Legislative Assembly on September 28, and it was passed the following day. Its provisions include time-bound approvals, removal of redundant no-objection certificates, self-certification and deemed approvals, subject to applicable statutory conditions.
Former Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir president Syed Shakeel Qalander defended the legislation, saying businesses had long struggled with overlapping regulatory requirements and prolonged clearances that could leave projects financially distressed before production began.
He said simplifying procedures should not be interpreted as exempting businesses from substantive legal obligations, including environmental and safety requirements.
Qalander proposed a joint examination of amendments to the Unified Building By-laws, 2021, and concerns about construction in residential and other sensitive areas.
Environmental Policy Group representative Aijaz Rasool said administrative simplification should not weaken regulatory oversight in ecologically sensitive areas or established residential neighbourhoods.
Former judge Khaliq-uz-Zaman, presenting the Group of Concerned Citizens’ position, said the group supported facilitating industry but wanted safeguards against possible misuse of the law.
Former chief town planner Iftikhar Hakim raised concerns over Section 22, saying its implementation could allow departures from established planning parameters, including floor area ratio, building heights and ground coverage.
Hakim said Section 30(2) needed to be read alongside Section 22 to assess the law’s overriding effect. While welcoming the protection afforded to specified environmental laws under Section 30(4), he sought similar clarity on master plans, urban and regional planning laws, development controls and building safety.
He also questioned the scope of a Schedule III provision concerning residential buildings up to 24 metres in height that could be constructed without prior permission.
Other participants stressed the need to protect Kashmir’s fragile ecology and agricultural land. KCCI Secretary General Faiz Ahmad Bakshi said the region could not afford to lose agricultural land, while Kashmir Small Scale Industrial Association President Syed Fazal Illahi cited past delays caused by departmental permission requirements for changes in business partnerships.
Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir President Shahid Kamili said entrepreneurs wanted predictable procedures and timely decisions, not concessions to violate master plans or environmental regulations.
Representatives from tourism, hospitality, education and industrial estates also welcomed the prospect of simpler approvals, citing delays that affect investment, operations and employment.
Writer Arjimand Hussain Talib urged stakeholders to examine the law in its legal and administrative context rather than draw sweeping conclusions before identifying specific shortcomings.
Industrial consultant Sayyed Parvaiz Qaisar cautioned against speculation before the government notified the rules and operational guidelines.
The proposed committee will examine the disputed provisions, building by-law amendments and land-use concerns. Participants said the rules and guidelines would be crucial in determining how the legislation works in practice.
