Delhi Govt announces Ease of Doing Business reforms

In a landmark move aimed at dismantling decades-old bureaucratic hurdles for industries, the government on Monday announced a first-of-its-kind Ease of Doing Business reform to benefit over 65 Green Category industries in the Capital.

Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said starting August 2025, all applications for Consent to Operate (CTO) by Green Category industries will be deemed approved within 20 days if no decision is made — a sharp reduction from the earlier 120-day timeline.

Calling it a “historic reset” for Delhi’s business ecosystem, Sirsa said, “This is not just a reform but a message to every entrepreneur, Delhi is open for responsible business. We are ending the era of the License Raj that stifled growth for 50 years.”

The Minister thanked Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for backing the measure, describing it as a milestone made possible by the “double-engine government.”

The reform will help small and medium businesses in low-risk sectors like apparel manufacturing (without dyeing or bleaching), aluminium products, ayurvedic manufacturing, furniture, packaging, toys, optical goods, cold storage units and others, which earlier faced long delays and procedural bottlenecks to get operational clearances.

Under the new rules, if the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) does not process an application within 20 days, it will be automatically treated as approved, with no further paperwork or follow-ups needed.

“Most of these sectors are driven by small and medium enterprises that will now be freed from regulatory gridlocks and empowered to operate under a trust-based, time-bound clearance system,” Sirsa said.

Delhi