DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana has taken a major step forward in transforming itself into a business-friendly state with a robust agenda of deregulation and compliance reduction.

In a high-level Deregulation Review Meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi, the state presented a sweeping roadmap aimed at reducing bureaucratic hurdles, simplifying regulations, and aligning with national priorities to boost ease of doing business.

Speaking at the review, Sh. Anurag Rastogi said, "Our goal is to create a governance model that supports industry without compromising on safety or accountability. By reducing red tape and adopting digital solutions, we aim to position Haryana as a preferred destination for investment and innovation." Haryana's reform journey includes continuous engagement with stakeholders through capacity-building workshops, MIS orientation sessions, and industrial outreach.

The Cabinet Secretariat's recent review has further pushed departments to complete data uploads on the Deregulation Portal, enhancing transparency. Among the most notable achievements, Haryana has emerged as a leader in labour sector reforms. The state has scrapped outdated restrictions on women working in 14 hazardous industries, now allowing their participation with safeguards for pregnant and lactating women.

Conditions for night-shift employment of women have been rationalized?mandatory permissions have been removed, quorum requirements reduced, and safety protocols such as shared transport and GPS-enabled vehicles introduced.

Further, the threshold for seeking prior government approval for layoffs, retrenchments, and closures has been increased from 100 to 300 workers. The state has also proposed amendments to enhance working hours and overtime limits, aiming to boost operational flexibility for industries.

The state is actively overhauling its land use and construction regulations. A new zoning framework is under development to promote mixed land use outside Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones.

Digitisation of the Change of Land Use (CLU) process has already reduced document requirements and processing time. Deputy Commissioners have been empowered to approve CLU applications up to one acre, promoting decentralization. For building regulations, Haryana has embraced self-certification and third-party certification systems.

(editor@dailyworld.in)