State Pushes Ahead with Decriminalization and Deregulation to Boost Investment Climate
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh—
In a major stride towards improving the investment climate and making Haryana a business-friendly destination, the state government is set to introduce the Haryana Jan Vishwas Bill, a landmark legislation aimed at decriminalizing minor offenses, dismantling regulatory hurdles, and reducing compliance burdens across departments. The move is part of a broader effort to foster ease of doing business, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and to signal trust-based governance to investors.
The initiatives were highlighted during the meeting to review the progress on compliance reduction and deregulation chaired by Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, KK Pathak.
While welcoming Pathak, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi emphasized that the state government is firmly committed to enhancing ease of doing business through deregulation, decriminalization of minor offenses, and reduction of compliance burdens. “Our approach is holistic—whether it is streamlining industrial clearances, digitizing land records, or simplifying building codes, every measure is aimed at improving investor confidence and supporting enterprise,” the Chief Secretary added. He said Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi is himself regularly reviewing deregulation and compliance reduction to boost industry and business in the country. He assured that the remaining reforms shall be undertaken and completed within the prescribed timelines by Government of India.
Pathak commended Haryana as a leading state in business reforms, and said the Central Government has high expectations from the state for achieving the goals for compliance reduction and deregulation. He highlighted how Gurugram and Faridabad have emerged as major hubs of economic activity, even surpassing Delhi in several parameters. “We consider Haryana on par with larger states such as Gujarat, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh in terms of industrial growth and economic dynamism,” he remarked.
Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal said over the past decade, Haryana has repealed 36 outdated Acts and removed 37 minor criminal provisions across three major departments. Building on this momentum, the Jan Vishwas Bill marks the next phase of legal modernization. The Department of Industries and Commerce, which is leading this reform, has launched a sweeping review of over 230 Acts from 37 departments.
To ensure a structured and effective implementation of these reforms, the state government has established a dedicated State-Level Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Cell. This cell, under the direct supervision of the Chief Secretary and senior officers from the Industries Department, is coordinating with various departments, analyzing legal provisions, and recommending simplifications.
In parallel, the state is also rationalizing its land use policies and development regulations to reduce complexity and support integrated planning. Haryana has already adopted the Mixed Land Use model, allowing compatible residential, commercial, and public uses in most zones. Industrial zones have been opened up for all types of industries, including the red category, while non-red category industries are allowed even in agriculture zones. Small commercial activities are permitted along service roads, and non-residential uses in residential areas can be carried out with prior permission. A committee is currently working to further simplify land use sub-classifications, with recommendations expected to be given soon.
Digital facilitation is another key pillar of the reform strategy. The HSIIDC Land Bank has been fully digitized and integrated with the India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) portal. Investors can now access real-time information about allotted and unallotted plots, along with infrastructure details like water supply, sewerage, drainage, and electricity.
To enable plug-and-play infrastructure, the state has developed flatted factories in industrial estates such as IMT Faridabad, allowing new units to start operations quickly. Haryana Building Code (HBC)-2017 has been updated to facilitate self-certification for low-risk buildings, joint inspections, and faster issuance of occupation certificates—within eight working days of submission. Third-party inspection agencies and fact-finding bodies have also been institutionalized to ensure compliance and resolve neighborhood grievances.
He said labour reforms are another highlight of the Haryana Jan Vishwas agenda. The new draft Haryana Shops and Establishments Bill includes progressive provisions such as allowing night shifts for women by mere intimation, relaxing quorum norms, simplifying pantry requirements, and increasing the daily work hours to 10 and quarterly overtime limit to 156 hours. Shops with fewer than 10 employees will be exempt from the Act, significantly benefiting small businesses. Registration certificates are now issued within 24 hours on a provisional basis and do not require renewal.
All essential business-related services have been brought under the unified Invest Haryana Single Window Portal, which is integrated with the National Single Window System. The revamped AI-powered Invest Haryana portal with interactive dashboards, policy tracking, and chatbot support is scheduled for completion by December 2025.
Senior officers of various departments were also present in the meeting.