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 or public safety.
At a meeting of its Executive Council chaired by president Syed Fazal Illahi, the association unanimously welcomed the legislation enacted by the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and called for the early notification of implementation rules and guidelines.
The association said the Act addressed longstanding grievances of industrialists who, it claimed, had faced prolonged procedures for obtaining approvals, consents and no-objection certificates. It argued that simplifying administrative requirements could encourage investment, support industrial activity and create employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir.
KSSIA described the GCC’s apprehensions as premature, maintaining that the government had yet to notify the rules governing implementation. It said the legislation contained safeguards relating to environmental protection, public safety and other legitimate concerns, which could be further strengthened through appropriate rules.
The association stressed that removing unnecessary permissions should not be interpreted as removing environmental, planning or safety regulations. It maintained that reducing bureaucratic interference and ensuring legal accountability were compatible objectives, particularly in an ecologically sensitive region such as Kashmir.
KSSIA also argued that easing business procedures was part of a broader national reform process adopted by the Centre and various states. It said Jammu and Kashmir, after decades of economic disruption and industrial stagnation, needed administrative reforms to encourage enterprise and generate local employment.
Questioning what it described as selective scrutiny of the legislation, the association pointed to environmental degradation and unplanned development in tourist destinations such as Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg. It also cited increasing commercialisation of residential neighbourhoods, including Karan Nagar, Balgarden, Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh, in Srinagar.
The association questioned why these developments had not attracted comparable scrutiny in the past, including when some administrators now associated with the GCC held government positions. These observations formed part of KSSIA’s response to the concerns raised over the new legislation.
At the same time, the association acknowledged the experience and expertise of GCC members and urged them to identify specific shortcomings in the Act and engage with the government and industrial representatives to develop appropriate safeguards without undermining the reform’s objectives.
KSSIA thanked the Omar Abdullah-led government for addressing longstanding demands of entrepreneurs and called for clear, practical implementation rules that preserve the legislation’s intent while protecting environmental and other public interests.
The association said Jammu and Kashmir needed to avoid both unregulated development and excessive bureaucratic restrictions, arguing that industrial growth, employment opportunities for educated youth and environmental protection should be pursued together.
