The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce headed by Ms. Dola Sen, M.P., Rajya Sabha presented/laid its 201^st Report on ‘Doing Business in India: The Way Forward’ to both the Houses of Parliament on 7^thAugust, 2026. In the Report, the Committee assessed the effectiveness of ongoing reforms, identified bottlenecks faced by stakeholders and suggested measures to further strengthen India’s business ecosystem.

During its four meetings spanning over 8 hours and 11 minutes, the Committee examined and discussed the subject with representatives of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Government e-Marketplace; Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Ministry of Electronics And Information Technology; Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises; Ministry of Environment, Forest And Climate Change; Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Railway Board, Ministry of Railways; Ministry of Civil Aviation; Confederation of India Industry (CII); Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI); and Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), banks and financial institutions and various other stakeholders. The Committee considered and adopted the draft Report in its meeting held on 5^th August, 2026. The Recommendations/ Observations made by the Committee in this Report are enclosed.

  The entire Report is also available on https://sansad.in/rs >Committees>DRPSC-RS>Commerce>Report

 

OBSERVATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS - AT A GLANCE

INITIATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT

1.       The Committee notes that under the Reducing Compliance Burden initiative, DPIIT has coordinated with Central Ministries and States/UTs to simplify procedures, remove redundant provisions, digitize approvals and inspections and decriminalize minor and technical defaults. As a result, over 47,000 compliances across Central and State legislations have been reduced, simplified, digitized, or decriminalized. The Committee also appreciates the launch of the Regulatory Compliance Portal, which has enabled systematic tracking and monitoring of compliance reforms.

                                                          (Para 3.5)                                                                           

2.       The Committee recommends that the Department may undertake periodic third-party evaluations of these reforms to assess their on-ground impact on businesses. The Committee also recommends that the Department may strengthen the Regulatory Compliance Portal by integrating real-time grievance redressal and performance metrics to ensure effective implementation of compliance reforms at the ground level.  

                                                                    (Para 3.6)       

3.       The Committee is of the view that rigorous efforts should be made to ensure that redundant or overlapping licences are merged or remove so as to avoid duplicacy of work. The Committee notes that manufacturing facilities face distinct overlapping disruptions from separate departments conducting parallel inspections under independent laws, The Committee, therefore, recommends that DPIIT must transition from discretionary administrative checking to an automated Joint Site Inspection framework, shifting lower-risk sectors entirely toward third-party certifications and trust-based self-reporting regimes. 

                                                                                                                                                   (Para 3.7)

4.       The Reducing Compliance Burden (RCB) programme has achieved notable progress at the Central level, but local-level compliances remain unaddressed in many States. Therefore, the Committee recommends that the Department may develop sector-specific compliance roadmaps, in consultation with industry and State Governments, to address regulatory bottlenecks unique to different sectors.To institutionalize this integration at the lowest tier of governance, the Committee recommends the immediate expansion of the District Business Reform Action Plan (D-BRAP), ensuring that all State line-department approvals, business renewals and exit filings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) migrate onto a single transactional dashboard linked directly to the National Single Window System (NSWS) platform with mandatory 'deemed approval'.                                                                                                                                                                                                  (Para 3.8)

5.       Further, the Committee observes that complex fiscal execution frameworks continue to freeze vital corporate liquidity. To lower these operational overheads, the Committee recommends the Department to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to rationalize and group the overly fragmented Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) parameters into simplified, uniform standard bands. The Committee is also of the view that the Department must work to remove working capital blockages by exploring mechanisms to allow GST liabilities under the Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) to be serviced through the Electronic Credit Ledger (ECRL), while enabling the fluid transfer of unutilized input tax credits between separate GSTIN branches registered under the exact same Permanent Account Number (PAN).                                                                                                   (Para 3.9)

DELAYS IN APPROVALS

6.       The Committee observes that fragmented regulations and multiple approvals at the Central and State levels cause delays and increase the cost of doing business. The Committee further notes that overlapping compliance requirements lead to duplication of effort. The Committee recommends rationalization and consolidation of regulatory frameworks by adopting risk-based regulations and increasing the use of self-certification and third-party certification.The Committee is of the view that replacing rigid physical caps such as structural building height restrictions with flexible, hazard-linked safety guidelines in the National Building Code (NBC) to include modern semiconductor fabrication facilities and automated production lines will ease the process.                                                                                                                                                                                                           

(Para 3.23)

7.       Further, to support the green energy transition, the Committee recommends creating a separate, simplified regulatory category under the Factories Act and State Fire Rules for renewable energy deployments like solar parks, wind farms, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), shifting lower-risk installations entirely to a trust-based self-certification framework.                                                                                                                                                                                    (Para 3.24)

8.       The Committee further recommends uniform implementation of national standards across all States. The Committee is of the views that Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) must be established between State inspectorates to ensure that safety and technical inspection certificates issued in one State are automatically recognized nationwide, eliminating redundant testing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (Para 3.25)

9.       The Committee also recommends expansion of single-window digital clearance systems and delegation of approvals to appropriate authorities. The Committee believes that these measures would significantly reduce compliance burden, speed up project implementation and improve the overall ease of doing business without compromising safety, environmental safeguards, or labour welfare.                                                                                                               

(Para 3.26)

TIMELINE ADHERENCE BY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES

10.     The Committee acknowledges the efforts of the Department in introducing the Single Window Guidebook for implementation by States/UTs. However, during its interactions with various stakeholders, the Committee observed that processes for obtaining approvals and issuance of NoCs continue to be time-consuming. The Committee is of the view that measures may be explored and, if feasible, introduced to ensure time-bound and faceless delivery of services by Central Ministries, with provisions for penalties in cases of delay or deficiencies, while leveraging India’s Digital Public Infrastructure to further strengthen Ease of Doing Business.                                                                                         

(Para 3.29)

11.     The Committee, therefore, recommends that all licences, approvals, permissions and renewals across Central, State and local authorities should be granted within clearly defined timelines, with a provision for deemed approval. The Committee is of the view that these deemed approvals must be generated automatically via the National Single Window System (NSWS) upon the expiration of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), carrying the same statutory validity as standard manual certifications.                                                                     

(Para 3.30)

12.     The Committee considers that the renewals should be automatic for businesses with a clean track record and, in all other cases, should remain strictly time-bound. The Committee further recommends that clear timelines be prescribed and strictly enforced for Government refunds, project approvals, fund disbursements, and subsidies, with compensatory payments in the event of delays.                                                                                    (Para3.31)                                                                                                                                                                                                

13.     The Committee also recommends that all such defined timelines be placed in the public domain for information and transparency. The Committee suggests that to enforce this transparency, transforming the current internal grading metrics into a publicly accessible and real-time SWS Performance Dashboard, allowing citizens to view the processing trends and average resolution times down to the district level. The Committee believes that these measures would reduce compliance burden, speed up project implementation and improve ease of doing business without compromising safety, environmental safeguards. The Committee further recommends that labour welfare as well as the law of the land, i.e., labour laws as per Constitution may be complied with.                                                                                         (Para 3.32)                                            

BUSINESS REFORM ACTION PLAN (BRAP)

14.     The Committee observes that the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) has played a significant role in promoting the spirit of competitiveness among States to introduce business reforms. To make the campaign a success, States have a vital role to play in promoting investor confidence.  The ease or difficulty of doing business in a State is a function of the structures/framework put in place by the States alongwith its effective implementation. The Committee recommends that new edition of BRAP may place greater emphasis on outcome-based indicators and on-ground implementation, with particular focus on reduction in time and cost of compliance for businesses and that best practices adopted by leading States may be systematically documented and shared with other States/UTs for wider replication.                                                                                                        

(Para 4.3)                                      

15.     To ensure that these reforms deliver tangible relief, the Committee recommends integrating a mandatory Ground Reality Verification audit into the BRAP evaluation protocol, utilizing third-party random sampling and direct industry interviews instead of relying strictly on State-submitted paperwork.                                                                                           (Para 4.4)

16.     Further, the Committee suggests expanding the BRAP 2024 framework to mandate the standard adoption of a single, PAN-based Business ID across all State-level clearances, completely eliminating the need for enterprises to re-verify identity across multiple local departments.                            (Para 4.5)                                                                                                              

17.     The Committee further recommends sensitizing States for removing significant efficiency gaps between major industrial cities and rural areas, ensuring consistent implementation of reforms at the local level. This will help States to improve business services uniformly across all districts rather than focusing only on economic centers.                                                  (Para 4.6)

18.     Acknowledging that businesses interact mostly with local municipal and district offices, the Committee recommends future BRAP metrics to incentivize States to bridge the performance gap between their primary industrial hubs and rural areas, providing targeted capacity-building support to lagging regions to drive uniform grassroots execution of the District Business Reform Action Plan.                                              (Para 4.7)                                                                                                                                                      

NATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW SYSTEMS (NSWS)

19.     The Committee notes that Single Window Systems have been implemented in most States and Union Territories. The Committee further notes that these systems are integrated with the National Single Window System (NSWS) through API-based linkages, enabling seamless data exchange and end-to-end tracking of applications. The Committee is of the opinion that NSWS could turn out to be a game changer reform, if certain specific concerns of industry are addressed adequately.                                                          (Para 5.5)                                  

20.     To make NSWS a success, there is urgent need to bridge the gap further between implementation on paper and implementation on the ground. Despite the existence of a single-window system, approval processes continue to be time-consuming, indicating that significant improvements are still required in this area. It is important to ensure that reforms are felt at the ground level by the end users as well as the private sector. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Department should consider introducing a procedure mandating that all regulatory approvals/ renewals from Central Ministries to be provided only through the NSWS platform and in a time-bound manner. For this, all remaining Ministries, Departments and State/UT authorities should be mandatorily onboarded onto NSWS within a time-bound framework. NSWS should serve as an exclusive platform for applying for approvals, submitting documents, payments, inspections and receiving clearances.                                                                                            (Para 5.6)

21.     The Committee also recommends that every provision that is posted on NSWS should mandatorily indicate timelines with provision of deemed approval. Further, the Committee recommends that a centralized real-time dashboard with published timelines and penalties for non-adherence should be integrated into the system. NSWS should have a dynamic and real-time-basis scoring (weighted index) and ranking mechanism of Ministries and States. Parameters like number of approvals provided through NSWS, number of total applications cleared in timely manner, average time taken per clearance etc. could be used for preparing the score & ranking.                                                                                   

(Para 5.7)  

22.     The Committee notes the proposal of Capacity Building Initiative for NSW stakeholders. The Committee recommends that all stakeholders should be involved in the process and monitoring of Capacity Building programs should be done periodically to improve it further. The Committee also be apprised about the gap assessment report to evaluate the existing level of preparedness.                                                                                                               (Para 5.8)

DECRIMINALIZATION (JAN VISHWAS)

23.     The Committee notes that Decriminalization of business laws plays a vital role in enhancing investor confidence and reducing the burden on the judicial system. The Committee notes that the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 marked a significant shift towards trust-based governance by decriminalizing minor offences across several Central Acts. The Committee also notes that the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 represents a major step towards modernizing India’s regulatory framework and aligning it with globally accepted principles of proportionate and risk-based regulation. The Committee, therefore, recommends that DPIIT ensure the effective implementation of the Act by issuing uniform guidelines to all concerned Ministries, regulators and enforcement agencies. The Committee further recommends establishing a centralized monitoring mechanism to oversee implementation, ensure consistency in enforcement, and prevent the reintroduction of criminal provisions through subordinate legislation.                                                                                                                                                     

(Para 6.6)

24.     To ensure global parity, the Committee recommends aligning Indian business regulations with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations by replacing criminal penalties with civil oversight for minor administrative errors. The Committee is of the view that this approach would reduce fear of incarceration for non-hazardous mistakes, fostering a more attractive investment environment through global parity.                             

(Para 6.7)

25.     To establish safeguards against re-criminalization in future, the Committee suggests a mandatory legal clause requiring all future departmental notifications, circulars and State-level amendments to undergo a prior "Ease of Doing Business Impact Assessment" before enactment, ensuring legacy criminal penalties are not quietly reintroduced under new technical names.                                                                                                (Para 6.8)

26.     The Committee also recommends that the Department engage closely with relevant stakeholders and the concerned Ministries/Departments to ensure that the decriminalization initiatives are effectively executed and results in tangible improvements.                                                                         (Para 6.9)                           

                                                                                     

BUSINESS READY (B-READY)

27.     The Committee observes that, after the discontinuation of the World Bank’s Doing Business Report (DBR), the Business Ready (B-READY) framework has emerged as the new global benchmark for assessing business environments. The Committee notes that DPIIT is undertaking reforms to address identified gaps, particularly in areas such as contract enforcement, regulatory quality and service delivery. The Committee recommends that reform measures initiated by various Ministries and Departments to improve India’s performance in the World Bank’s B-READY index may be pursued in a sustained manner, with periodic assessments to monitor progress and with continued efforts to maintain and further enhance India’s overall ranking. To ensure seamless alignment with these global standards, the Committee further recommends the creation of an online 'B-READY Reform Dashboard' to track real-time regulatory compliance across all Ministries, ensuring any bottleneck in contract enforcement is flagged automatically.                                                                                                                                                                                        

(Para 7.4)

28.     The Committee notes that the improvement in 'Ease of Doing Business' rankings is going to have an huge impact on the overall development of the country from various perspectives i.e. infusion of foreign funds, creation of job opportunities, making India a global manufacturing hub, improving the entrepreneurship eco system within the country so that Indians themselves get into manufacturing in a large scale. The Committee recommends that the Department should foresee the steps to be taken at the Centre and state levels with full co-operation and collaborative approach to bring about actual difference on the ground level from the perspective of both foreign investors and Indian entrepreneurs.                                                                     (Para 7.5)                                                                                                                          

29.     The Committee recommends that DPIIT may explore the possibility of creating a specialized 'Support Cell' to ensure that first-generation entrepreneurs receive the same regulatory fast-tracking, digital single-window access and compliance benefits accorded to major corporate investors.                      

(Para 7.6)

30.     The Committee is of the view that it is necessary to move away from slow, paper-heavy legal processes and recommends setting up dedicated, fully digitized Commercial Courts in major industrial clusters to resolve contract disputes within a prescribed time limit.                                            (Para 7.7)                                     

KEY CHALLENGES IMPACTING DOING BUSINESS

FRAGMENTED REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

31.     The Committee recommends that the Government should consider merging overlapping licences (for example, trade licence and shops and establishments licence) for commercial establishments. The Committee also recommends that Inspectorate functions under various laws (Factories Act, Boilers Act, Petroleum Act, etc.) should be consolidated into a unified inspection authority using risk-based inspections. The Committee suggests that this unified inspection authority be natively integrated into the National Single Window System (NSWS), creating a single central repository for compliance data that completely eliminates duplicate document submissions across different departments. Further, a One Licence - One Renewal framework may be introduced for restaurants, hospitality, and retail sectors. The Committee is of the view that there should not be violation of the law of the land, i.e., labour laws as per the Constitution.                                                                (Para 8.2)

INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS CONSTRAINTS

32.     The Committee observes that, despite significant policy and digital reforms undertaken by the Government, the transportation and logistics sector continues to face regulatory, procedural and infrastructure-related constraints that increase logistics costs and adversely affect the ease of doing business. The Committee recommends the Department to pursue simplification of tax and customs compliance by reducing duplicate documentation, streamlining audit mechanisms, ensuring time-bound disposal of approvals and refunds and promoting end-to-end digital processing. It further recommends adoption of a risk-based and trust-based regulatory framework to minimise unnecessary inspections, reduce litigation arising from genuine interpretational disputes and facilitate a more predictable business environment.                 (Para 8.14)                                                                    

33.     The Committee further recommends seamless integration of digital platforms across Customs, ports, airports, railways and other regulatory agencies through a unified single-window system to enable paperless processing and real-time information sharing.The Committee is of the view that to fully operationalize this digital integration, the Committee recommends mandating all private and public logistics operators integrate their tracking systems with the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) via open APIs. The Committee believes that the procedures and timelines should be standardised across jurisdictions, supported by transparent grievance redressal mechanisms and periodic review of compliance requirements to eliminate redundant processes and reduce the compliance burden.  (Para 8.15)                                                                                

34.     The Committee also recommends that focused attention be given to strengthening logistics infrastructure by improving multimodal connectivity, expanding warehousing and cold-chain facilities, modernising cargo handling infrastructure at ports and airports and addressing last-mile connectivity gaps. It further recommends that land acquisition and approval processes for logistics infrastructure be simplified through single-window, time-bound clearances. The Committee also recommends exploring areas where complete digitalization is not followed and ensure optimal and efficient system of adoption of digital technologies and automation. The Committee recommends that the Government formulate a uniform national policy for warehousing standards and approvals across States. This national policy should incorporate an automated registration framework linked to the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA), offering fast-tracked municipal clearances and zoning benefits to warehouses that adopt certified green building and automation standards. The Committee is of the view that greater coordination among Ministries and regulatory agencies is essential to ensure uniform implementation of reforms and remove operational bottlenecks.      (Para 8.16)                                                      

35.     The Committee further recommends expansion of air cargo, storage and perishable handling facilities, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, along with facilitation of round-the-clock cargo movement and simplified transit approvals. It also recommends rationalisation of cargo screening norms, terminal charges, customs cost recovery and GST on export air cargo. Further, to capture the booming global e-commerce market, the Committee suggests simplifying the regulatory framework for the International Courier Terminal (ICT) ecosystem, expanding digital processing limits for low-value cross-border shipments to boost small-scale exporters. The Committee believes that timely implementation of these measures would reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain efficiency and strengthen India’s position as a competitive global trade and logistics hub.                                                                                (Para 8.17)                                                                  

ACCESS TO CREDIT, ESPECIALLY FOR MSMEs

36.     The Committee observes that adequate and timely credit is essential for improving the ease of doing business across MSMEs and other entrepreneurial sectors and notes that Small and micro enterprises continue to face procedural complexity and high documentation requirements. Access to working capital is particularly constrained for micro units, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs. Collateral requirements and risk-averse lending practices further limit credit flow. The Committee notes that credit delivery remains uneven across regions and sectors. Banking practices such as foreclosure and pre-payment charges add to the financial burden. Multiple approvals and regulatory requirements also delay the establishment of new enterprises.                                                               

 (Para 8.21)

37.     The Committee, therefore, recommends strengthening formalization through Udyam platforms to expand access to institutional finance as well as further expansion of credit guarantee and collateral-free lending mechanisms. To completely eliminate manual paperwork for working capital, the Committee further recommends that all commercial banks leverage the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Account Aggregator network to fetch verified financial footprints instantly, enabling data-driven, cash-flow-based lending rather than relying on asset-heavy collateral.                                    (Para 8.22)                                              

38.     The Committee also recommends simplification of banking procedures, reduction in documentation and greater use of digital public infrastructure for credit assessment and faster disbursement. The Committee further recommends targeted credit support for MSMEs, manufacturing, exporters, and innovation-driven enterprises. The Committee is of the view that improved coordination among banks, financial institutions, and government agencies is essential to ensure seamless synergy. Further, to improve credit flow and significantly enhance the ease of doing business , the Committee recommends that RBI must issue guidelines to uniformly ban foreclosure and pre-payment charges for all micro and small enterprise loans, ensuring businesses are not financially penalized for early repayment or credit restructuring.   (Para 8.23)                                                           

OTHER OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

STARTING A BUSINESS

39.     The Committee recommends that improvements in reformed services, simplified procedures and digital platforms should be communicated on a regular basis through print, electronic and digital media. Such outreach would enhance transparency, improve awareness among stakeholders and ensure wider adoption of simplified processes, particularly by first-time entrepreneurs and MSMEs.                                                                                  (Para 9.2)                                     

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS

40.     The Committee observes that India’s export potential is significant, with an ambitious target of US$ 2 trillion in exports by 2030. However, to realise this objective, ease of doing business for exporters must go beyond regulatory compliance and address the entire export ecosystem from factory gate to foreign markets. The Committee further notes that effective, coordinated and time-bound implementation of the measures envisaged under the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) 3.0, in alignment with the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, will not only enhance India’s EoDB performance but also support the achievement of long-term export targets. The Committee recommends that while finalizing Foreign Trade Policy 2023, level playing field for the exporters may be taken cognizance of and incorporated so that the exporters are not put at disadvantage.                                                    (Para 9.4)                                                                  

41.     The Committee recommends the Department to engage with stakeholders to identify and work out measures to further ease cross-border trade. The Committee further recommends harmonization of procedures across Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) as well as complete end-to-end digitization of export and import processes. To expedite this process, the Committee recommends upgrading the ICEGATE portal to a fully automated, AI-driven clearance mechanism that reduces the average release time for export cargo to under 12 hours at seaports and under 4 hours at airports.                                                                 

(Para 9.5)

42.     Further, the Committee suggests expanding the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification network to micro and small-scale exporters, offering them automated, green-channel customs clearance, fast-tracked duty drawbacks and mutual recognition access in key international trade corridors         

(Para 9.6)

43.     The Committee also recommends strengthening port, airport and logistics infrastructure, including warehousing, cold storage and last-mile connectivity. The Committee further recommends developing open electronic data interchange (EDI) protocols with major global trade networks to establish paperless, blockchain-backed cross-border document validation, drastically minimizing the administrative compliance burden for Indian merchants.                            

(Para 9.7)

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS IN GOVERNMENT E-MARKETPLACE (GeM)

44.     The Committee notes the significant contribution of GeM towards simplifying public procurement and promoting the ease of doing business. The Committee recommends further expanding the participation of MSMEs, startups and women entrepreneurs through greater awareness and capacity-building. India is an agrarian country with huge population, MSME and agro based industries are important sector to address unemployment. Priority may also be given to the Manufacturing units which play a vital role in the country’s development. The Committee also recommends strengthening digital integration across Government platforms to reduce compliance burden and improve procurement efficiency. The Committee further recommends that, in coordination with the concerned Ministries, suitable safeguards be incorporated in the procurement framework to promote compliance with labour laws, including provisions relating to contractual employment, payment of minimum wages and other statutory obligations by vendors. If not so, then the principal employers are entitled to comply with the law of the land.                                                                                                      

(Para 10.4)

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS IN E-COMMERCE

Working Conditions in E-commerce “Dark Stores”

45.     The Committee notes that the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, 2020, which came into effect on 21.11.2025, provides a statutory framework for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions in establishments employing ten or more workers. The responsibility for enforcement and compliance under the Code rests with the appropriate Government, which in the case of e-commerce dark stores, is the concerned State Government.                                                      (Para 11.4)                                   

46.     The Committee is of the view that effective implementation and continuous monitoring of labour welfare provisions in the e-commerce sector are critical to ensuring fair working conditions, reducing informal employment and promoting sustainable business practices. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that minimum standards relating to basic workplace amenities and occupational safety be strictly enforced for e-commerce workers. Further, besides the labour welfare, the Committee recommends that implementation of the labour laws as per the Constitution must be ensured.                 (Para 11.5)                                     

47.     To ensure comprehensive protection, the Committee recommends that the enforcement of the OSH&WC Code be seamlessly linked with the Code on Social Security (2020), mandating that e-commerce aggregators strictly comply with the statutory 1% to 2% turnover-based contribution toward the National Social Security Board for gig and platform workers. The Committee further recommends that the OSH&WC Code must be implemented for all categories of the unorganized workers.                                                             (Para 11.6)

48.     The Committee further recommends periodic review of labour practices in the sector to address emerging issues relating to working hours, worker welfare and job security. The Committee is of the view that this review must explicitly target quick-commerce delivery timelines, establishing strict guidelines to prevent algorithmic dispatch systems from imposing unrealistic speed targets that compromise the occupational safety of delivery partners on public roads.                                                                                        (Para 11.7)                                      

49.     Further, the Committee recommends that State Governments must frame a randomized, technology-driven inspection framework through designated Inspector-cum-Facilitators to conduct surprise digital and physical audits of dark stores, to verify the provision of adequate ventilation, hydration stations and mandatory rest intervals. The Committee suggests the department to explore the feasibility of creating a centralized registry to link all registered dark store and delivery personnel to an Aadhaar-backed portable insurance framework, guaranteeing automated medical and accident coverage across different platform providers. The Committee also recommends sustained engagement with e-commerce platforms, workers’ representatives and consumer organisations to ensure balanced, inclusive and sustainable growth of the e-commerce ecosystem.                                                              (Para 11.8)                                              

 

CONSUMER PROTECTION AND ISSUES IN QUICK COMMERCE

50.     The Committee notes that the Department of Consumer Affairs has taken a number of legislative and regulatory initiatives to strengthen consumer protection in the rapidly evolving e-commerce ecosystem. The Committee recommends that DPIIT co-ordinate with concerned Departments/Ministries for strengthening the regulatory framework in e-commerce to prevent unfair trade practices and safeguard consumer interests. The Committee is of the view that there should be strict enforcement of guidelines relating to dark patterns and misleading advertisements on digital platforms. To protect users from predatory technology, the Committee recommends creating a strict regulatory check on dynamic pricing, preventing platforms from using a consumer's search history, device type or location data to artificially inflate prices during checkout. There should be objective reality feedback of the implementation of e-commerce and quick commerce to prevent common man from misleading information.                                                              (Para 11.10)

 

51.     The Committee is also of the opinion that digital grievance redressal platforms should be further upgraded to ensure faster, simpler and more accessible resolution of consumer complaints. Acknowledging the AI capabilities already deployed in NCH 2.0 for complaint categorization, the Committee recommends upgrading this framework by integrating it with automated Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanisms. The Committee believes that this will change the helpline from routing platform into an actionable system capable of automatically settling routine e-commerce return and refund disputes within a strict, legally mandated timeframe. (Para 11.11)                                                     

52.     The Committee notes that it is also essential to strengthen consumer awareness programmes to educate users about their rights, grievance redressal mechanisms, and safe online practices. The Committee recommends encouraging greater transparency by e-commerce platforms with respect to pricing, discounts, return policies, and grievance redressal processes to build consumer trust. The Committee further recommends that there should be a monitoring mechanism to check that it is being implemented effectively.                                             

(Para 11.12)

VISIT TO UNION TERRITORIES OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH

53.     The Committee recommends operationalising a time-bound and effective single-window clearance system, along with the revival of industrial and export incentives, to address bureaucratic and credit-related bottlenecks. The Committee further recommends automating the disbursement of capital subsidies, GST-linked incentives and interest subventions under the New Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Jammu & Kashmir by integrating them into the National Single Window System (NSWS) to prevent local department backlogs. The Committee recommends that some additional initiative may be provided to Jammu & Kashmir so that their businesses may survive. The Committee emphasises strengthening logistics, warehousing, air cargo and regional road and air connectivity to support trade, tourism and horticulture in Jammu and Kashmir.                                                 (Para 12.10)                                                     

54.     The Committee recommends focused support for GI-tagged and traditional sectors such as Apples, Pashmina, Saffron, handicrafts, horticulture and Kashmir willow bats through improved testing, branding, quality control and technological upgradation. The Committee also recommends establishing specialized, state-of-the-art testing and certification laboratories in every major production hub alongside launching a Government-backed blockchain registry.  The Committee is of the view that this digital framework will allow international buyers to instantly verify the authenticity and Geographical Indication (GI) trace history of premium Kashmiri products via QR code scans.                                                (Para 12.11)

55.     The Committee further recommends special financial, bidding and policy relaxations for local enterprises in Ladakh, considering its unique climatic, geographical, and cost constraints. To build local capacity, the Committee suggests introducing a mandatory local procurement quota in all Government tenders for indigenous Ladakhi micro-enterprises.         (Para 12.12)                                            

56.     The Committee also recommends promoting local participation in renewable energy projects, adopting relaxed norms for basic infrastructure and social services and ensuring sustained stakeholder engagement to translate reforms into tangible outcomes. To accelerate Ladakh's vision of becoming a carbon-neutral economy, the Committee suggests for providing special customs duty waivers and fast-tracked land-use permits for community-owned micro-grids, solar-wind hybrid farms and high-altitude cold-storage infrastructure.                                                                                   (Para 12.13)

WAY FORWARD

57.     The Committee notes that DPIIT, entrusted with the task of driving EoDB reforms, has created the desired momentum. With stronger inter-ministerial coordination, deeper State-level engagement, time-bound implementation tracking and a firm commitment to outcome-based governance, India can significantly enhance its business environment. The Committee further observes that as industries transition towards clean technologies, automation, advanced manufacturing and digital platforms, skill gaps have emerged. There remains a need for greater awareness and capacity-building among municipal officials, inspectors and regulatory personnel. To address this, the Committee recommends regular capacity-building and training programmes for municipal officers, inspectors and regulatory personnel to ensure familiarity with reformed procedures and digital systems backed by an independent third-party impact assessment.                   (Para 13. 3)                                                                 

58.     The Committee desires that the issues and suggestions highlighted in this Report be addressed in right earnest to realise India’s long-term economic aspirationsand strengthen its position as a globally competitive and investor-friendly economy.                                                                           (Para 13. 4)

 

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