SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to draw upon governance and regulatory reforms implemented by Maharashtra and Gujarat to strengthen the Union Territory’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) framework and improve delivery of public services.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday to review best practices adopted by leading states in promoting Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, and assess their suitability for implementation in J&K.
Senior administrative secretaries and officers from various departments attended the meeting, where detailed presentations were made on reforms introduced by Maharashtra and Gujarat to create a business-friendly environment through simplified procedures, digital governance and citizen-centric service delivery.
The presentations highlighted initiatives such as reducing regulatory compliances, eliminating redundant procedures, end-to-end digitisation of government services, strengthening single-window clearance systems, rationalising inspections, decriminalising minor regulatory offences, simplifying land and construction approvals, ensuring time-bound service delivery and promoting technology-driven governance. Reforms implemented under the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP), District BRAP, deregulation initiatives and the Jan Vishwas framework were also discussed.
Reviewing the reforms, Dulloo said Jammu and Kashmir has already introduced several governance reforms in recent years but now needs to accelerate administrative transformation by adopting proven national best practices suited to the Union Territory’s governance structure.
He stressed that efforts to improve Ease of Living should go hand in hand with economic reforms by ensuring hassle-free access to government services, reducing procedural delays and enhancing public satisfaction.
The Chief Secretary directed departments to prioritise rationalisation and whitelisting of services, simplify regulatory processes, decriminalise minor offences and amend relevant laws and rules to create a more investor-friendly ecosystem.
He said sustained governance reforms help build investor confidence and attract investments, adding that J&K should learn from successful models adopted by other states instead of “reinventing the wheel.”
“There are numerous success stories across the country that offer valuable learning opportunities. By adapting these tested models to local requirements, J&K can accelerate its reform agenda while avoiding duplication of effort,” he observed.
Dulloo directed the Centre for Innovation, Transformation and Governance (CITaG) to conduct a comprehensive assessment comparing reforms already implemented in J&K with those adopted by leading states and prepare a roadmap identifying priority reforms and implementation timelines.
Emphasising an investor-centric approach, he said governance systems should be designed from the perspective of entrepreneurs rather than government departments, with the objective of making compliance easier, approvals faster and public service delivery more transparent.
He also asked CITaG to prepare a comprehensive, time-bound action plan with measurable milestones and maintain close coordination with authorities in Maharashtra and Gujarat to better understand their reform strategies and institutional mechanisms.
The meeting concluded with a consensus that adopting proven governance models, customised to local requirements, would improve institutional efficiency, enhance investor confidence and further strengthen Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living in Jammu and Kashmir.
