Andhra Pradesh has reported progress in 20 of 28 priority regulatory reforms, while senior officials have directed departments to speed up measures aimed at simplifying approvals and reducing compliance burdens for schools, universities, industries and businesses.
The progress was reviewed at a meeting held at the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on Friday by Union steel secretary Sandeep Pundrik and Andhra Pradesh chief secretary G. Sai Prasad. Officials assessed the second phase of reforms intended to reduce regulatory burdens and ease compliance requirements across several departments.
The review covered school education, higher education, industries, commerce and legal metrology. Officials discussed proposals to simplify the rules governing private schools, including requirements related to infrastructure, playgrounds and laboratories.
One proposal under consideration would replace the essentiality certificate currently required for recognition of schools with a self-certification system. The change would shift part of the initial compliance process from prior departmental approval to declarations by school operators, although the report did not specify the proposed verification or enforcement mechanism.
Higher education reforms discussed at the meeting included measures to reduce land and endowment fund requirements for establishing private universities. The proposed changes are intended to reduce entry barriers for institutions seeking approval to operate in the state.
For industry and commerce, officials focused on reducing the number of no-objection certificates and multiple licences required to establish and operate businesses. They also favoured allowing micro, small and medium enterprises to begin operations on the basis of self-declarations.
The review additionally examined ways to simplify approval and inspection procedures for low-risk industries. Officials also considered easier registration and licence issuance procedures under the Legal Metrology department.
The reform programme links administrative simplification with the physical and operational systems through which institutions and businesses enter the urban economy. For schools, changes to infrastructure and recognition requirements could affect how new facilities are proposed and approved. For businesses and industries, the reduction of overlapping permissions is intended to shorten the process of starting operations.
Sai Prasad directed the departments concerned to eliminate unnecessary approvals and procedural delays to improve the ease of doing business. The meeting was also attended by additional secretary Sarita Chauhan Chand.
The report did not state how many of the 20 reforms had been fully implemented, the deadlines for the remaining eight priority areas, or the final framework for self-certification and inspection. Departments are expected to continue work on the pending measures within the stipulated deadlines.
