Industrial body seeks early notification of implementation rules, says environmental safeguards and business facilitation can go together
Srinagar: The Kashmir Small Scale Industrial Association (KSSIA), Baghi Ali Mardan Khan, has defended the Jammu and Kashmir Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026, against concerns raised by the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), arguing that the legislation could reduce bureaucratic hurdles for entrepreneurs without compromising environmental protection.
At a meeting of its Executive Council chaired by president Syed Fazal Illahi, the association unanimously welcomed the legislation enacted by the Omar Abdullah-led government, describing it as a long-standing demand of the industrial sector.
The association said entrepreneurs had for decades faced difficulties obtaining approvals, consents and no-objection certificates from multiple government offices, adding that the administrative burden had discouraged enterprise and complicated efforts to generate employment.
KSSIA maintained that easing business procedures was part of a wider reform process being pursued across India and argued that Jammu and Kashmir needed to move away from outdated administrative practices to encourage investment and industrial activity.
KSSIA seeks scrutiny of implementation rules
Responding to the GCC’s apprehensions, the association questioned the timing of the criticism, saying the government’s implementation rules and guidelines had yet to be notified.
It argued that the legislation contained safeguards relating to environmental protection, public safety and other legitimate interests, which could be further detailed through the rules.
The association stressed that removing unnecessary permissions should not be interpreted as removing environmental, planning or safety regulations. It said freedom from bureaucratic hurdles must remain compatible with legal accountability.
KSSIA also urged the GCC to examine the provisions of the Act individually and identify specific shortcomings rather than assume that simplifying business procedures would necessarily threaten Kashmir’s fragile ecology.
Raises concerns over urban and tourist development
The industrial body said entrepreneurs were equally concerned about protecting the region’s forests, water bodies, landscapes and cultural heritage, arguing that economic development and environmental conservation should complement each other.
It also questioned what it described as insufficient scrutiny of environmental degradation and unplanned development in tourist destinations such as Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg.
The association cited the growing commercialisation of residential neighbourhoods, including Karan Nagar, Balgarden, Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh, and called for environmental accountability to extend to past administrative decisions as well as proposed reforms.
KSSIA questioned why these developments had not attracted comparable scrutiny when some administrators now associated with the GCC held government positions. The association did not cite specific decisions or cases in support of this criticism.
Calls for constructive engagement
While expressing disagreement with the GCC’s observations, KSSIA acknowledged the experience and expertise of its members and invited them to engage with the government and industrial representatives to identify gaps in the legislation and recommend safeguards.
The association also thanked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his government for addressing longstanding demands of entrepreneurs and called for the early notification of clear and practical implementation rules.
It said Jammu and Kashmir needed to balance industrial growth, employment opportunities for educated youth and environmental protection, arguing that neither unregulated development nor prolonged bureaucratic delays served the region’s interests.
