Srinagar: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has criticised the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) over its apprehensions regarding the Jammu and Kashmir Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026, arguing that the legislation seeks to reduce procedural hurdles for businesses without removing substantive legal obligations.
In a statement, FCIK described the GCC’s concerns as speculative and said the group had overlooked safeguards and exceptions in the legislation relating to environmental protection, public safety, public interest and specified planning restrictions.
The industry body said entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir had faced prolonged delays in obtaining permissions and clearances, overlapping departmental jurisdictions, arbitrary inspections and administrative uncertainty, which it argued had discouraged investment and hindered industrial expansion.
FCIK maintained that provisions relating to deemed approvals, inspection moratoriums and relaxations in master plans should be viewed in the context of time-bound decision-making and risk-based regulation. It said such mechanisms were intended to prevent administrative inaction from indefinitely obstructing lawful business activity.
The federation argued that the legislation did not seek to eliminate environmental or safety obligations but to distinguish legitimate regulatory oversight from unnecessary bureaucratic interference. It stressed that the safeguards provided under the Act must be reflected in the rules to be framed for its implementation.
Rejecting the suggestion that ease of doing business conflicted with ease of living, FCIK said industrial activity supported employment, ancillary businesses, household incomes and government revenue. It also called for simpler procedures for traditional household-based activities such as embroidery, shawl-making, carpet weaving, papier-mâché, handloom production and wood carving, where the processes involved were genuinely non-polluting.
The federation also questioned the effectiveness of earlier regulatory arrangements in preventing wetland encroachments, deterioration of water bodies, conversion of agricultural land and unplanned construction. It argued that the existence of multiple permissions and regulatory authorities had not, by itself, prevented environmental degradation.
FCIK said its questions were aimed at institutional accountability rather than assigning personal blame. It asked former administrators associated with the GCC to explain what measures they had taken during their tenures to simplify procedures, eliminate redundant permissions and address delays in official decision-making.
The federation welcomed the role of Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo in advancing the regulatory reforms and credited Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his government with taking the legislation through the legislative process.
It said Jammu and Kashmir could ill afford to lose further investment and employment opportunities because of unpredictable regulatory procedures, particularly given the region’s history of disruptions and industrial distress.
FCIK urged the GCC to support its concerns with specific provisions of the law, technical evidence and workable alternatives. It said the legislation’s success would depend on whether businesses could operate lawfully without unnecessary administrative delays while remaining accountable for violations of environmental, planning and safety regulations.
