In Maharashtra, only 10, not 70, licences needed for hospitality business

In a boost to the tourism sector in Maharashtra and to attract more investments, the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved the ease of doing business policy,

In a boost to the tourism sector in Maharashtra and to attract more investments, the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved the ease of doing business policy, bringing down the number of licences required to start a venture in the hospitality sector to 10, instead of the earlier 70.

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“Similarly, nine self-certifications will be required, instead of 15 no-objection certificates from seven departments,” a senior bureaucrat said, requesting anonymity.

A statement from the chief minister’s office said: “With a significant decrease in permissions and licenses, it would boost the sector, bring in more investment and subsequently increase employment opportunities.”

State tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray in a tweet termed the decision “landmark” and said it was long overdue. The bureaucrat added that the tourism department is also setting up a single-window system for one online application for permissions to facilitate faster approvals.

Riyaaz Amlani, CEO, Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality, and a member of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said it is a “move in the right direction”.”Hospitality industry is one of the most over-regulated industries. We need 32 different licences and NoCs to sell a sandwich. There are multiple licences and several duplications in it. We are highly grateful for this ease of doing business because a restaurant owner spends 50% of his time to liason with different government departments. This is a welcome move and offers a ray of hope for this beleaguered industry. Making it easier to set up restaurants and hotels will unleash the true potential of the employment generation capacity of this industry.”

In another decision, the state cabinet also approved a proposal to seek financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) programme in the state. The ₹2,248-crore (USD 346 million) loan will help the state connect grids in rural areas which do not have a proper irrigation system and help farmers increase output. The Maharashtra government through Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) will secure counterpart funds worth USD 357.1 million towards the USD 703.1 million programme.

The project will be implemented by the Maharashtra Energy Department MSEDCL. The state government approved the HVDS programme on May 5, 2018, for electrification of agricultural pumps. “The HVDS programme is being implemented through MSEDCL for all the agriculture pump farmers who have made the payment by March 31, 2018. Agriculture output in Maharashtra has been impacted due to lack of irrigation, inefficient use of electricity and water and availability of storage and market facilities,” said the bureaucrat.

Restaurants and bars can remain open between 8am and 10pm

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday said restaurants and bars can remain open from 8am till 10pm. The clarification was issued by the directorate of tourism following confusion over timings for operations of hotels, restaurants and bars started from October