Tripura among nation’s 3 top performers in business reforms

Agartala: Tripura has emerged as the highest-ranked state in the country under the Business Reforms Deregulation 1.0 initiative, following an assessment supervised by the Prime Minister during the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference in New Delhi last week.CM Manik Saha said the recognition reflects Tripura’s proactive approach in simplifying business regulations and strengthening its commercial environment. The state was ranked alongside Odisha and Uttar Pradesh as top performers.Encouraged by the success of Phase I, the Centre is preparing to launch Business Reforms Deregulation 2.0 in 2026, with a sharper focus on regulatory efficiency. Led by TV Somanathan, cabinet secretary, the new phase will target 30 priority areas across seven major sectors and departments.Key reforms will emphasise education and utilities & permissions, each with five focus areas. Land-related compliances remain a challenge, accounting for three priority areas under Deregulation 2.0. Other critical sectors — environment, building & construction, and health — will each see two focus areas.For the first time, education, environment, and health have been integrated into the deregulation framework, underscoring their growing importance in governance and economic efficiency. While recent labour code reforms have eased regulatory burdens, one labour-related area has been retained to sustain progress.The programme will expand beyond its 23 core reform areas, adding three comprehensive priorities and seven optional reform zones. This builds on Phase I, launched in Jan 2025, which focused on land, labour, building and construction, utilities, and regulatory permissions.Recent rankings under BizReforms 1.0 also placed Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Rajasthan among the top 12 performers, reflecting India’s broader deregulatory momentum. Sixteen states and Union Territories have been classified as “moving forward”, while eight continue to lag behind.Several states have introduced benchmark reforms: Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand scrapped land conversion requirements, Tripura and Odisha removed negative lists for mixed land use, and Haryana adopted progressive building by-laws to support urban planning and business growth.