Delhi LG sets November-end deadline for pending reforms

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has set a November-end deadline for departments to complete pending deregulation measures, as several reforms intended to ease business operations and public services remain unfinished despite earlier deadlines being missed. At a review meeting on Thursday, Sandhu asked departments to speed up implementation and directed the Industries Department to resolve bottlenecks that could be cleared during the meeting itself. The exercise is aimed at reducing regulatory hurdles for businesses and improving the ease of living for residents.

Under the first phase of the exercise, 22 of 23 identified priority areas have been completed, compared with 17 at the previous review in August. The remaining issue concerns rationalising minimum road-width requirements for industries in rural areas and is expected to be finalised soon. The urbanisation of 48 rural villages has been completed, with the relevant Gazette notification issued.

The second phase, launched in January 2026, covers 23 priority areas and five optional ones. Officials reported that most of the identified reforms had been completed, while the remaining measures were at advanced stages of implementation. The only pending priority area concerns changing the land-use framework to allow activities unless specifically prohibited, in connection with the PM-UDAY scheme.

Among the reforms under implementation are the removal of duplicate licences issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, perpetual registration for shops and commercial establishments, and electricity connections of up to 200 kW without inspection. Other measures include more frequent meetings of environmental appraisal bodies, removing minimum land requirements for private schools and creating a digital repository of Delhi’s laws, rules and government orders.

The meeting also reviewed measures affecting schools and businesses. The final notification on licensing under the Legal Metrology Act has been issued, with revised rules uploaded to the relevant portal. A final notification on infrastructure requirements for private schools has also been published. The Education Department has been asked to consider changes to the Master Plan for Delhi 2047 to relax school development norms and simplify the essentiality certificate required for private schools. On the legislative front, the Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, has received Cabinet approval and been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with comments from the Delhi Development Authority. The Delhi Private University Bill, which proposes changes to minimum land, endowment and infrastructure requirements, was approved by the Cabinet on September 23 for placement before the Assembly.

Building approval reforms are also being pursued. A proposal to remove four no-objection certificates from the building-plan approval process is at an advanced stage of finalisation with the DDA and MCD. The certificates relate to the Delhi Jal Board, the Chief Inspector of Factories, the Forest Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

In healthcare, proposed changes to simplify the registration of medical practitioners have been vetted by the Law Department and are awaiting approval. A proposal for a third-party agency to operate as a single nodal point for healthcare licences is also being processed.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, MCD Commissioner, DDA Vice-Chairman and senior officials from several departments. Sandhu asked departments to finish outstanding work by November-end, stressing that implementation must catch up with deadlines already missed.