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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
From Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu and Odisha, states push small reforms to boost business
OVER THE LAST few months, Rajasthan eased restrictions on night shifts for women, Odisha spruced up building bye-laws so that small enterprises can use space more efficiently, and Tamil Nadu increased the number of industries for which entrepreneurs need not knock at the pollution control boards. Across India, states are advancing small, targeted reforms to cut red tape. While sweeping national reforms inch forward despite renewed calls for bold reforms amid tariff tensions, states are increasingly leading the way, recalibrating business rules on the ground, pointed out government officials. The Centre is helping nudge them towards deregulation, but states seem to be on board with the perceived benefits of these steps. The trend reflects a growing view at the highest levels of the Central government that progressive, state-level tweaks—faster to implement and with broader impact—should be prioritised for now. The Rajasthan Labour Department had, in a July 8 notification, allowed commercial establishments to employ women during night hours. Officials said this not only provided operational flexibility to enterprises but also was a step towards gender-inclusive employment. Delhi did the same on July 30, after having scrapped the requirement for restaurants and hotels to seek police approval the previous month on June 19. Odisha modernised building bye-laws in June to let MSMEs and IT/ITeS firms use space more efficiently. The state's Department of Housing and Urban Development of Odisha has introduced major amendments to both the Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2021 and the Odisha Development Authorities (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2020, which are designed to streamline regulations and ease the compliance burden. For instance, parking requirements for industrial buildings have been reduced to 8 per cent from 30 per cent of the total built-up area to allow more productive use of space. Tamil Nadu, which is among the pioneering industrial states in the country, expanded the list of 'white category' industries from 37 to 609 in June this year. This exempts many non-polluting businesses from obtaining Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board. Privately, many foreign investors flag India's cumbersome bureaucracy, varying state laws, and heavy compliance burden as hurdles that create uncertainty and hinder investment. With states set on the reform path, some of those concerns could be addressed. On the ground, these tweaks by state governments are finding currency. Sandeep Anand Goyle, the Delhi chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), told The Indian Express that establishments such as hotels, eateries, discotheques, amusement parks, and auditoriums in the capital, which no longer need to register with Delhi Police to run their operations, are expected to generate significant revenue for the Delhi government. 'Many major domestic and international chains had previously avoided investing in Delhi—preferring Gurugram or Noida instead—due to cumbersome licensing norms, particularly the eating house registration from the police via the MCD's (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) unified portal for licensing,' Goyle said. 'We were spending six to eight months each year just following up on licence renewals. Even when our documents met the portal's requirements, the follow-ups were constant. It became a choice between focusing on the business or chasing licences,' he said. While the Centre is now pushing for reforms at the state level, a newly-formed Deregulation Cell in the Cabinet Secretariat is also targeting select national regulations. On May 27, it set up an inter-ministerial group to review quality control orders (QCOs) that could enable 'unfair trade practices' or hurt MSMEs. In June, it clarified that the National Building Code, 2016 is 'not legally binding' but a 'voluntary code of reference,' offering relief to the construction industry. Earlier, in February, the Economic Survey 2024-25 called for state-led deregulation to liberalise standards and controls, such as lifting restrictions on women's participation in factories and rationalising parking norms. It urged states to review regulations on administration, land, building and construction, labour, utilities, transport, logistics, local trade, environment, and sector-specific rules. 'The logic for staying small often is to remain under the regulatory radar and steer clear of the rules and labour and safety laws. Ironically, the biggest casualties are employment generation and labour welfare, which most regulations were originally designed to encourage and protect, respectively,' the Economic Survey 2024-25 said. 'Unburdened by licensing, inspection and compliance requirements, the people and small enterprises of India, with their high aspirations and intrinsic inventiveness, will find answers to the pressing challenges of growth, employment and development,' it said.
Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Nearly half of Delhi's liquor licensees apply for renewal
Around half of Delhi's hotels, clubs and restaurants with excise licenses to serve liquor applied for renewals within 24 hours of the excise department issuing a circular mandating fresh licenses, two officials aware of the matter said on Saturday. A liquor store in Delhi. (AFP) The officials cited above added that approximately 40% of Delhi's 713 government-run retail liquor stores have also submitted renewal applications. They clarified there is currently no threat of a disruption in liquor supply in the Capital. On Friday, the Delhi government extended the existing liquor policy till March 2026 — one of the longest such extensions since the controversial 2021-22 excise regime was scrapped in September 2022 over alleged irregularities. Delhi has around 1,000 licensees in the hotels, clubs, and restaurants (HCR) category, including L16 (independent restaurants), L17 (hotels), and L18 (clubs). 'By Saturday afternoon, roughly 50% of HCR licensees had applied through the excise portal. The entire process, including payment, is online. We are working to ensure that those who pay the required fees get their renewed licenses before June 30,' said an excise official. The apparent urgency stems from the fact that the existing licenses — issued in March — expire on June 30. Without renewal, establishments cannot order fresh liquor stock or serve alcohol from July 1 onward. The tight deadline has left the hotels, clubs, and restaurants across the city are scrambling to renew their licenses in time, one of the officials cited above said. The official added that 40% of the retail stores run by the four Delhi government corporations have also initiated the renewal process. The e-Abkari portal handles the online application process, which requires licensees to upload documents such as a fire NOC and trade license. 'Once submitted, the documents are verified within two hours. If cleared, a payment link is emailed and texted to the applicant. After payment, the license is automatically generated,' said another excise department official. Despite the streamlined process, many restaurant owners have expressed concern over the short notice. 'We've been given just three days before the June 30 deadline. Two of those are weekend days, when we're busiest. The process is quick, but document scrutiny still takes time. The government should have given us at least a week,' said the owner of a Connaught Place restaurant, requesting anonymity. The government's decision to extend the current liquor policy again underscores the ongoing uncertainty around Delhi's excise framework. A new policy has been in the works for over 33 months but is yet to be finalised. Friday's extension means the city will continue operating under the 2020-21 excise policy, which has already been extended five times. Sandeep Anand Goyle, Delhi chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), urged the government to expedite the rollout of the new policy. 'The government has extended the current regime till the end of the financial year, but we request that a new excise policy be announced soon to encourage investment, employment, and to curb the flight of business to neighbouring cities. This will also boost government revenue,' he said. Excise officials, however, maintained that all applications submitted before the June 30 deadline will be processed on priority. 'There is no cause for panic. All establishments that follow the procedure and pay the required fee on time will receive their renewed licenses without disruption,' one of them said.
The Print
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Print
Decision to exempt Delhi restaurants from police NOC will reduce hurdles, improve EoDB: NRAI
The licensing power will now be transferred to local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, or Delhi Cantonment Board. As per the order, restaurants in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House Licence. The decision also applies to other business activities such as hotels, motels, guest houses, swimming pools, auditoriums, video game parlours, discotheques, and amusement parks. New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Monday welcomed the order issued by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to exempt eateries operating in the national capital from the requirement of obtaining a 'no-objection' certificate from police, saying the decision will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve ease of doing business. 'As per the new directive, restaurants operating in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House License. This change will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve the ease of doing business for the F&B sector in the capital. This will also increase investments by the F&B Sector, which will bring in additional revenue to the Delhi government's exchequer in various forms in the future,' the NRAI stated. This decision is expected to bring major relief to thousands of restaurant owners, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, who have long struggled with the burden of acquiring multiple governmental clearances, it added. NRAI Delhi Chapter Head Sandeep Anand Goyle said, 'This move will encourage entrepreneurship, support job creation, and revive ease of doing business in the F&B space'. PTI RSN TRB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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Business Standard
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Decision to exempt Delhi restaurants from police NOC to improve EoDB: NRAI
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Monday welcomed the order issued by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to exempt eateries operating in the national capital from the requirement of obtaining a 'no-objection' certificate from police, saying the decision will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve ease of doing business. As per the order, restaurants in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House Licence. The decision also applies to other business activities such as hotels, motels, guest houses, swimming pools, auditoriums, video game parlours, discotheques, and amusement parks. The licensing power will now be transferred to local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, or Delhi Cantonment Board. "As per the new directive, restaurants operating in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House License. This change will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve the ease of doing business for the F&B sector in the capital. This will also increase investments by the F&B Sector, which will bring in additional revenue to the Delhi government's exchequer in various forms in the future," the NRAI stated. This decision is expected to bring major relief to thousands of restaurant owners, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, who have long struggled with the burden of acquiring multiple governmental clearances, it added. NRAI Delhi Chapter Head Sandeep Anand Goyle said, "This move will encourage entrepreneurship, support job creation, and revive ease of doing business in the F&B space".
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Decision to exempt Delhi restaurants from police NOC will reduce hurdles, improve EoDB: NRAI
The National Restaurant Association of India ( NRAI ) on Monday welcomed the order issued by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to exempt eateries operating in the national capital from the requirement of obtaining a 'no-objection' certificate from police, saying the decision will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve ease of doing business. As per the order, restaurants in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House Licence. The decision also applies to other business activities such as hotels, motels, guest houses, swimming pools, auditoriums, video game parlours, discotheques, and amusement parks. The licensing power will now be transferred to local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, or Delhi Cantonment Board. "As per the new directive, restaurants operating in Delhi will no longer be required to obtain the Delhi Police Eating House License. This change will reduce administrative hurdles and significantly improve the ease of doing business for the F&B sector in the capital. This will also increase investments by the F&B Sector, which will bring in additional revenue to the Delhi government's exchequer in various forms in the future," the NRAI stated. This decision is expected to bring major relief to thousands of restaurant owners, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, who have long struggled with the burden of acquiring multiple governmental clearances, it added. Live Events NRAI Delhi Chapter Head Sandeep Anand Goyle said, "This move will encourage entrepreneurship, support job creation, and revive ease of doing business in the F&B space".
