Agartala Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Ease of Doing Business Reforms

Agartala Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Ease of Doing Business Reforms

Agartala (Tripura) [India], November 13 (ANI): A one-day workshop on State-Level Decriminalisation Reforms, the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) and the District Business Reforms Action Plan (DBRAP) was organised at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala on Thursday, with a focus on simplifying legal procedures, reducing regulatory burdens and strengthening the ease of doing business in Tripura.

The workshop was inaugurated by Chief Secretary J K Sinha and attended by secretaries of various departments, including Industries and Commerce, Finance, Tribal Welfare, Urban Development, Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. District Magistrates and Collectors, field-level officials, representatives of industrial and business organisations, and delegates from Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram were also present.

Addressing the gathering, Sinha said that the state government had undertaken significant initiatives under BRAP and DBRAP and secured the top national position within a short period in reducing compliance burdens and implementing deregulation reforms. However, he emphasised that there was no room for complacency, stating that the actual success of these reforms would depend on their effective implementation at the grassroots level. He also informed that a district-wise ranking system had been proposed to evaluate the progress of implementation. Highlighting the Centre’s growing confidence in Tripura’s reform initiatives, Sinha said the state’s achievements had helped it secure major responsibilities, including the upcoming Destination Tripura 2026 initiative.

Industries and Commerce Secretary Kiran Gitte highlighted the various measures undertaken by the state government to simplify business operations and reduce legal complexities. He also presented the current implementation status of BRAP and DBRAP reforms and urged the concerned departments and district administrations to take proactive steps to ensure the timely implementation of deregulation measures.

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Director Rakesh Kumar Prajapati highlighted the significance of the Jan Vishwas decriminalisation reforms at the state level. He stated that all eight North-Eastern states had undertaken legislative measures to replace criminal penalties for minor procedural offences with simpler civil remedies. He also stressed the importance of empowering regional start-ups under the Start-up India initiative by reducing regulatory complexities and creating a more business-friendly environment.

During the technical sessions, representatives from DPIIT and various participating states exchanged views, experiences and best practices concerning business reforms and deregulation initiatives. Director of Industries and Commerce Deepak Kumar also addressed the gathering. The workshop aimed to strengthen coordination among departments and district administrations while ensuring the effective implementation of business-friendly reforms to promote investment, entrepreneurship and economic growth in Tripura.

Kiran Gitte said, “The main objective of today’s workshop was to discuss the decriminalisation of business laws and regulations. During the British era, even minor violations of rules and regulations often resulted in police action or imprisonment. However, in the case of white-collar and business-related violations, the appropriate remedies are generally financial penalties or fines rather than imprisonment. With this objective, we have undertaken a review of the existing Acts and regulations to bring about necessary changes and reforms.”

“The second important issue discussed was the implementation of business reforms. Our state has been ranked number one in this area for the past two years. However, the question is how effectively these reforms are being implemented at the ground level. Although we have introduced several reforms, it is equally important to assess their implementation at the district level and by various line departments of the state government. This was one of the key subjects taken up during the workshop. Rakesh Ji can explain the progress being made in this regard. I also presented district-wise and department-wise details of the reforms introduced, their implementation status and the lessons learned so far,” he said.

Gitte further added, “As the Minister from Sikkim also highlighted today, I am fully confident that following this workshop, the implementation of business reforms at the district level and by various line departments will gain further momentum. Four years ago, our state was ranked 29th in the country in terms of business reforms. Today, we have secured the number one position nationally. We have initiated a major liberalisation agenda through these reforms, and we are confident that their implementation at the grassroots level will improve significantly in the coming days. We will continue to seek guidance from DPIIT from time to time.” (ANI)