LG, CM review Delhi’s deregulation drive; pending reforms to be completed by mid-August

New Delhi:The Delhi government on Wednesday said it will complete all pending reforms under its deregulation and ease of doing business programme by mid-August, following a high-level review meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu along with chief minister Rekha Gupta and senior ministers

New Delhi:

The exercise is being carried out under the guidance of the Prime Minister through a dedicated task force and deregulation cell led by the cabinet secretariat, a statement read. (Representative photo)

The Delhi government on Wednesday said it will complete all pending reforms under its deregulation and ease of doing business programme by mid-August, following a high-level review meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu along with chief minister Rekha Gupta and senior ministers.

The meeting reviewed the progress of Delhi’s deregulation and compliance reduction exercise, which is aimed at improving the ease of doing business and ease of living in the Capital.

The exercise is being carried out under the guidance of the Prime Minister through a dedicated task force and deregulation cell led by the cabinet secretariat.

“The draft Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, has acquired final shape and is expected to be cleared by the Cabinet within a week,” an official statement said.

According to officials, Phase-I of the exercise, launched in January 2025, covered 23 priority areas. Of these, 13 have been implemented, while four became redundant following the enactment of the new labour codes.

Officials said the remaining six reforms, including changes related to zoning norms, building regulations and third-party approvals for construction, are expected to be implemented after the notification of the Master Plan for Delhi-2041 and approval of the Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2026.

For Phase-II, launched in January this year, the number of implemented priority areas has increased from three in June to nine. These include the removal of dual trade licences by the MCD, liberalised regulations for shops and commercial establishments, and faster electricity connections.

Officials said 17 other reforms are under implementation across departments, while two priority areas remain pending.

The meeting was also informed that the draft Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, has been finalised after consultations with 29 departments and stakeholders. According to officials, the Bill addresses 13 of the 28 priority areas identified under Phase-II and is expected to be placed before the Cabinet within a week.

Draft legislation related to reforms in the education sector and the addition of a Right to Appeal under the Right to Services framework has also been finalised and is likely to be introduced during the upcoming session of the Delhi Assembly.

The meeting was attended by education minister Ashish Sood, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and senior officials from the Cabinet Secretariat, the Government of India, the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and other departments.

Officials said several measures linked to the notification of the Master Plan for Delhi-2041 are expected to be implemented after the remaining reforms are completed by mid-August.