Chandigarh, March 18, 2025 –
The first meeting on Compliance Reduction and De-Regulation exercise initiated by Cabinet Secretariat, GoI, New Delhi was convened today at UT Chandigarh Secretariat, Sector-9, Chandigarh. The meeting was co-chaired by Sh. SCL Das, IAS, Secretary M/o MSME, GoI, New Delhi and Sh. Rajiv Verma, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT Chandigarh Administration. The aim of this meeting was to streamline business regulations, enhance ease of doing business, and improve urban planning frameworks in Chandigarh. The meeting was convened by Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, IAS, Secretary Industries, Chandigarh Administration.
Sh. SCL Das, IAS, Secretary M/o MSME, GoI, New Delhi has been given the responsibility for driving the de-regulation exercise for U.T. Chandigarh with Cabinet Secretariat. During the meeting, he was accompanied by officials from Government of India including Smt. Anuja Bapat, Deputy Director General, Ministry of MSME; Smt. Nayantara Sasikumar, Director, Ministry of MSME; Smt. Prerna Joshi, Director, DPIIT; Shri Anshuman Kamila, Deputy Director, Cabinet Secretariat; and Shri Darpajit Sengupta, Young Professional, NITI Aayog.
Along with Sh. Rajiv Verma, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT Chandigarh Administration, the meeting saw participation from all concerned Secretaries, HODs of stakeholder departments and other senior officials of Chandigarh Administration including Sh. Diprava Lakra, Finance Secretary Chandigarh; Sh. Mandeep Singh Brar, Home Secretary Chandigarh; Ms.Prerna Puri, Secretary Education; Sh. Amit Kumar, Commissioner Municipal Corporation; Sh. Hari Kallikkat, Secretary, Secretary I.T.; Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, Secretary Industries -cum-Deputy Commissioner Chandigarh and other officers of Chandigarh Administration.
Sh. SCL Das, IAS, Secretary M/o MSME, GoI gave a brief presentation and shared that the de-regulation and reducing compliance burden exercise focuses on simplifying and reducing the key regulatory reforms in land use, building regulations, labour laws, utilities, and permissions. The discussions during the meeting emphasized relaxing zoning norms, simplifying land use change procedures, and digitizing regulatory approvals to create a business-friendly environment while maintaining the city's planned development ethos.
Key points discussed during the meeting were ‘Land Use & Zoning’ which included introduction of flexible zoning norms and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) to accommodate mixed-use development within the current applicable frameworks and orders by Supreme Court.
‘Building & Construction’ points, easing setbacks and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) restrictions, along with integration of third-party inspections within the current applicable frameworks and orders by Supreme Court; ‘Labor Laws’ – Proposals to allow night-time employment for women, increase working hours, and simplify industrial layoff regulations; ‘Utilities & Permissions’ – Faster approvals for industrial licenses, fire NOCs, and environmental clearances through an integrated single-window system; and ‘Digital Governance’– Chandigarh’s GIS-based Master Plan integration with the PM Gati Shakti portal for efficient land use planning.
The Chandigarh Administration reaffirmed its commitment to implementing best practices from leading Indian states and international models to enhance economic growth while preserving the city's unique urban character. The Task Force will continue to monitor implementation progress and propose further simplifications to create a more conducive business ecosystem in the Union Territory.