GIDC Rolls Out Time-Bound Reforms To Fast-Track Business Approvals

This latest reform aligns with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) Ease of Doing Business framework for 2024–25. GIDC has streamlined the application process for industrial services by reducing the stipulated time limits for approvals and mandating prompt action by officials, thereby promoting efficiency and boosting investor confidence.

The circular, approved by Praveena D.K, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of GIDC, spells out revised timelines for several key services used by industries, as mentioned below 

• ​Land Application – No specific timeline mentioned, but submission of the site inspection report is mandatory within 48 hours of the visit
• ​​Water Supply Connection – 15 days
• ​Drainage Connection – 15 days
• ​Building Plan Approval (Fresh) – 10 days
• ​Building Plan Approval (Alteration/Addition/Revision) – 15 days
• ​Demolition of GIDC Constructed Sheds – 15 days

All of these services are now marked as mandatory, which means urgency and accountability is expected from the concerned departments.

This amendment builds on a series of earlier circulars and notifications issued between 2015 and 2024, reflecting the government’s sustained efforts to reduce bureaucratic delays and attract new industrial investments.

The Chief Engineer of the GIDC explained that, as per the official order, these reforms are aimed at clearing the backlog and speeding up industrial approvals, thereby expediting the process of setting up businesses in GIDC estates.

It is noteworthy that industrial units in these estates often faced delays of several months in securing various government approvals, which has prevented them from launching their projects on time. To address this issue, specific timelines for approvals have now been introduced to eliminate such delays.

A senior official of the corporation stated that there are currently over 70,000 investors operating across 239 industrial estates in the state, collectively spanning 41,000 hectares. “Our vision is to establish an industrial estate in every taluka of the state, which can generate abundant local employment opportunities,” the official added.

Land Transfers May Soon Get Easier Too

Beyond faster approvals, the state is also working on another long-pending issue—the transfer of industrial plots. At the moment, businesses face restrictions if they want to sell or transfer their plots within 15 years of allotment. That rule has been a sticking point for many, and the government is now considering doing away with it to allow for more flexibility to the unit operators. This can make it easier for entrepreneurs to buy or sell industrial land avoiding endless hoops.