Chairman of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Jammu Region, *Rakesh Wazir, submitted a memorandum to **Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo, presenting a series of suggestions aimed at improving the *ease of doing business in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
During an interaction on Ease of Doing Business, Wazir said that creating a conducive business environment is the need of the hour and emphasized that only those states and regions succeed where businesses are able to operate smoothly. He welcomed the Government’s efforts towards *deregulation and reduction of compliances under Phase-1 of Ease of Doing Business reforms, and expressed confidence that *Phase-2 reforms would further strengthen the investment climate and business ecosystem in the Union Territory.
While presenting his suggestions, Wazir proposed that the Commencement of Commercial Operations Certificate should be issued simply after verifying that a unit has started operations, while the remaining formalities could be completed later before availing incentives. He also suggested that *incentives should be extended for the substantial expansion of existing units, similar to earlier provisions under the *Industrial Development Scheme (IDS).
He further pointed out that the number of documents required for applying for incentives should be significantly reduced, as many entrepreneurs refrain from availing such benefits due to the lengthy and complicated procedures.
Wazir also stressed the need to simplify the tourism registration process for hotels, guest houses and paying guest accommodations. He recommended introducing a *self-registration system for tourism units on the pattern of the industries sector through the Udyam Portal. According to him, such registration should be *one-time with no renewal requirement, while the concerned department may conduct periodic inspections and cancel registrations in case of serious deficiencies.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening tourism infrastructure, he also proposed that homes should be allowed to convert into homestays without formalities to promote tourism in the region.
The *Chief Secretary listened to the suggestions and assured that each point would be considered sympathetically.
