AP Targets Single-Digit Industrial Approvals to Accelerate Investment Flow

In a significant move to accelerate industrial growth and attract fresh investments, the Andhra Pradesh government has initiated sweeping reforms aimed at simplifying regulatory processes. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to drastically reduce the number of approvals and licenses required to set up industries, bringing them down to a single-digit figure .

The directive was issued during a high-level review meeting held at the Secretariat on Monday, attended by senior officials, including Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary in the Union Ministry of Steel. The Chief Minister emphasized that while streamlining approvals, there should be no compromise on critical aspects such as environmental protection and public safety .

Naidu stressed the need to eliminate unnecessary hurdles that often discourage investors and create delays in project implementation. He called for strengthening a third-party auditing system to ensure transparency and prevent undue harassment of industrialists by officials. Additionally, he urged the simplification of forest department regulations wherever feasible.

In a bid to tailor policies to local needs, the Chief Minister proposed replacing the National Building Code with state-specific fire safety regulations . He also suggested introducing a system where industrial registrations remain valid for a lifetime , thereby ending the need for repeated renewals and redundant licensing procedures.

Highlighting the importance of administrative efficiency, Naidu underlined that improving the “speed of governance” is essential to achieving a faster “speed of doing business.” He instructed senior officials to rationalize the existing regulatory framework by reducing nearly 800 rules to around 100 .

Setting clear timelines, the Chief Minister directed that the second phase of deregulation reforms proposed by the Centre be implemented through ordinances by the end of May. Looking ahead, Sandeep Poundrik indicated that the third phase, expected to begin in June, will focus on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to further enhance governance and regulatory efficiency.

The government believes these reforms will create a more industry-friendly ecosystem , boost investor confidence, and generate greater employment opportunities across the state.