Patna: The Bihar government has taken a fresh step towards administrative reform and regulatory simplification, holding a high-level meeting in Patna to chart the rollout of Deregulation Phase 2, an initiative aimed at reducing compliance burdens for citizens and businesses.
The meeting, held at the Main Secretariat, was chaired by chief secretary, Pratyaya Amrit, who said the government was committed to completing the second phase of deregulation within the stipulated timeframe. He described the process as central to improving governance efficiency and making regulations more citizen-friendly.
Senior officials from the central government and NITI Aayog joined Bihar government officials for detailed discussions on 23 new priority and alternative priority areas identified for reform. The focus, officials said, was on streamlining approvals, reducing procedural delays and strengthening regulatory clarity across sectors.
Under the second phase, key reforms have been proposed in land and construction, including the removal of the mandatory change in land use (CLU) requirement and a simplified building permit process to provide relief to landowners and developers. In education and healthcare, the government plans to rationalise minimum land and infrastructure norms for private schools and universities, and to appoint a single nodal agency for healthcare-related licensing.
Industry and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are also expected to benefit. Proposals include empowering the State Industrial Development Authority to grant approvals within industrial clusters and introducing a self-declaration-based system for MSMEs to cut down on inspections and paperwork.
Other measures discussed include faster electricity connections, more frequent environmental clearance meetings, and the introduction of an “auto-appeal system” under the Right to Services Act to ensure timely grievance redressal.
The meeting was attended by senior central government officials including Nidhi Pandey, joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs; Radha Katyal Narang, director; Rahul Shrestha, director at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; and Gagan Kumar from NITI Aayog. Senior officials from Bihar’s education, industry, energy, environment, forest and climate change, and revenue and land reforms departments were also present.
Officials said Deregulation Phase 2 was intended to build on earlier reforms and could play a significant role in improving the state’s investment climate while making everyday administrative processes simpler for citizens.
