By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi
New Delhi: In a major reform aimed at making the national capital one of India’s most business-friendly destinations, the Delhi Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, deliberated on the draft Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, proposing sweeping measures to simplify, digitise and accelerate the process of setting up and operating enterprises.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a transparent, technology-driven and time-bound regulatory framework that reduces compliance burdens while promoting investment, industrial growth and employment generation. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government’s vision is to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs focus on expanding businesses rather than navigating government procedures.
A key feature of the proposed Bill is the introduction of a Single Window System, through which businesses will be able to obtain major approvals, registrations, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and utility connections via a unified online portal. The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) will function as the nodal agency, coordinating approvals across departments and civic bodies.
The draft legislation also proposes a deemed approval mechanism, under which applications not decided within the prescribed timeframe will automatically be treated as approved, enabling applicants to download the approval directly from the portal.
To reduce regulatory hurdles for smaller enterprises, the Bill introduces self-certification for specified low-risk industries covering areas such as fire safety, building plan approvals, pollution-related permissions and low-tension electricity connections. It also proposes exemption from multiple licences for enterprises already registered under GST, FSSAI, the MSMED Act or Labour Codes.
Another major reform is the proposal to eliminate routine inspections for the first three years after registration for compliant businesses, with inspections limited to cases involving serious complaints. The Bill also adopts a Negative List approach, allowing businesses to undertake any activity unless it is specifically prohibited.
The proposed legislation further aims to minimise repetitive documentation by preventing departments from seeking information already available with the Delhi Government. It also proposes relaxing development control norms in notified industrial areas, including restrictions on Floor Area Ratio (FAR), setbacks and building height, while assigning responsibility for common fire safety infrastructure to DSIIDC to lower expansion costs for industries.
The Bill also provides for risk-based compliance requirements, the possibility of a common validity period for licences and NOCs, and the use of empanelled professionals for verification and certification to expedite approvals.
Describing the proposed legislation as a landmark governance reform, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said it represents a shift from a system based on control to one built on trust, transparency and facilitation, while retaining strong enforcement against genuine violations. Following approval by the Lieutenant Governor and the Delhi Cabinet, the draft Bill will be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further action.
