Indore Industries Push for Efficient Single-Window System
Indore — Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh state budget for FY 2026–27, business associations representing industrial units have called on the state government to overhaul the existing regulatory clearance processes with a more effective single-window approval system to boost industrial competitiveness and investment flows across the region’s key manufacturing hubs.
The demand reflects broader calls from industry players nationwide for regulatory reform to align urban development, economic growth and ease of doing business. In presentations to policymakers, representatives of the Association of Industries of Madhya Pradesh (AIMP) outlined persistent challenges faced by enterprises in securing licences and development permissions, often requiring multiple interactions with different departments. Leaders argued that an empowered and digitally integrated single-window mechanism — with clearly defined timelines and department-wide accountability — would reduce bureaucratic friction, cut compliance costs and accelerate project execution for both new and expanding firms.
Industrialists also stressed that many private industrial areas lack basic public utilities and infrastructure, a deficiency they said is compounded when approvals and clearances are delayed. “For industries to invest and scale up,” a senior business representative said on condition of anonymity, “regulatory processes must be predictable, transparent and unified so that firms aren’t bogged down in repetitive paperwork that lengthens gestation periods.” The request comes as part of stakeholder inputs ahead of the upcoming state budget speech, with industry bodies also recommending fiscal incentives such as reimbursement of permit fees — including diversion, shelter and stamp duty charges — to support entrepreneurs setting up on privately acquired land. They pointed out that high costs linked to stamp duty and regulatory fees can deter newcomers and slow industrial cluster development in fast-growing regional centres like Indore, which has seen rapid enterprise registrations and employment growth in recent years.
Urban planners and economic policy experts note that efficient regulatory frameworks are integral to sustainable urban industrialisation. A well-functioning single-window system that integrates planning, environment, labour and utilities approvals not only reduces administrative overhead but also fosters confidence among investors evaluating mid-sized cities as alternatives to established metropolitan markets. Digital platforms, linked with national and state policy databases, can further enhance transparency and enable real-time tracking of application status. National experience from states such as Odisha and Karnataka suggests that streamlined clearance frameworks can catalyse industrial growth. In Odisha, state-level single-window clearance authorities have approved multiple projects totalling over ₹1,300 crore, illustrating how consolidated mechanisms can facilitate investment and job creation.
Critically, industry calls for improved regulatory systems align with broader trends in Indian urban economic policy, where authorities are seeking to make cities and industrial corridors more competitive on a regional and global scale. Integrating regulatory reform with infrastructure upgrades, skill development and fiscal incentives will be key to ensuring that Madhya Pradesh’s urban-industrial ecosystems remain attractive to both domestic and foreign investors as well as emerging small and medium-enterprise clusters.
