Chief Secretary finalises timelines for implementation of next gen EoDB reforms in J&K

Jammu, Jan 19: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Monday chaired a high-level meeting of Administrative Secretaries to finalise timelines for implementation of the identified deregulation measures under the next phase of the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) programme across the Union Territory.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary impressed upon all concerned departments to prepare their detailed action plans by the end of the current month and ensure that the entire implementation process is strictly completed within the next six months.
He underscored that all procedural reforms, including amendments to relevant Acts, Rules, and Regulations, must be carried out within the stipulated timeframe without deviation, as envisaged under this phase of compliance reduction and deregulation.
Highlighting the importance of timely execution, the Chief Secretary observed that effective implementation of these reforms is crucial to creating a business-friendly regulatory environment and strengthening investor confidence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Providing an overview of the initiative, Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, informed the meeting that the second phase of compliance reduction and deregulation, commonly referred to as Deregulation 2.0 or Phase-II of EoDB, is aligned with the national framework and is aimed at launching 30 new priority reform areas across seven key sectors in 2026.
He stated that while the first phase focused largely on digitisation, Phase-II EoDB seeks to bring about deep structural reforms, with particular emphasis on reducing the compliance burden on MSMEs and startups. The objective, he added, is to further simplify regulatory frameworks, reduce procedural redundancies, and promote sustainable economic growth.
Elaborating on the core components of Deregulation 2.0, Director, Industries & Commerce, Jammu, Arun Manhas, apprised the meeting that the initiative targets seven major focus sectors encompassing 30 priority reform areas, including several domains that were not extensively covered earlier.
He informed that these reforms include five priority areas each in Education and Utilities/Permissions, three categories of land-related compliances, and two focus areas each in Environment, Health, and Building & Construction.
In addition, high-impact reforms in Labour, Fire Services, and Tourism sectors have also been identified to ensure that these sectors receive a significant boost through minimal governmental compliances and reduced regulatory hurdles.
The meeting concluded with a commitment on maintaining close inter-departmental coordination to ensure time-bound implementation of the reforms for making Jammu and Kashmir a progressive, transparent, and investor-friendly destination.