Chhattisgarh Assembly passes Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026
Chhattisgarh set to become first state with risk-based business approvals
Small businesses to get faster approvals, self-certification and auto-approval
Raipur, July 16, 2026
In a major reform to boost industry and entrepreneurship, the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday passed the Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, paving the way for the state to become the first in the country to implement a risk-based and trust-based business permission system.
The Bill aims to simplify business establishment and operational procedures, reduce unnecessary compliances and create a faster, transparent and investor-friendly ecosystem, particularly for MSMEs. Industries and commercial establishments will be classified according to their size and risk profile, allowing low-risk businesses to secure quicker approvals while retaining technical scrutiny and physical inspections for high-risk projects.
The Bill introduces self-certification or certification by licensed engineers, architects and authorised professionals for low-risk enterprises, replacing frequent departmental inspections.
It also abolishes mandatory annual licence renewals and provides for risk-based approvals, easing compliance for businesses. Allowing the businessmen to focus on their operations.
MSMEs will be able to obtain water supply permissions through self-declaration, time-bound registration of societies and firms, and building approvals through self-certification or authorised experts. Eligible applications pending beyond the prescribed timeline will receive deemed approval through an auto-approval mechanism, while high-risk projects will continue to undergo technical evaluation and inspections.
The Bill brings 43 services offered by eight state departments under the risk-based approval framework, with provisions to add more services after approval by the Executive Council. A three-tier monitoring mechanism has also been created, with committees headed by the Chief Secretary at the state level and Collectors at the district level functioning under the guidance of a council chaired by the Chief Minister.
The government expects the reform to directly benefit over 15 lakh MSMEs by reducing the time and cost of starting and running businesses while maintaining effective oversight for high-risk sectors, strengthening Chhattisgarh’s transparent, predictable and investment-friendly business environment.
