Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is leading the way in legal reforms aimed at deregulation and compliance reduction, aligning state laws with national standards to enhance ease of trade and improve public service delivery.

At a key meeting held at the Secretariat on Friday, Union secretary (Coordination) of the Cabinet Secretariat and head of the Task Force Committee on Deregulation and Compliance Reduction, Manoj Govil, commended Andhra Pradesh for its proactive efforts. He noted that the state is at the forefront in updating, amending, and simplifying outdated laws to align with the Central government’s framework. These measures, he said, are part of a broader national push to reduce regulatory burdens and ensure laws better serve citizens and businesses.

Govil stressed the need for full adoption of the National Building Code and urged states to implement stringent fire safety standards in high-rise structures. He added that such compliance reforms, when implemented effectively, will directly benefit citizens and entrepreneurs alike.

Chief secretary K Vijayanand said that the state has already initiated significant legal changes under the Central government’s Jan Vishwas Act, aimed at trust-based governance. As part of this effort, 76 state laws have been reviewed and simplified — including 18 from the excise department, 19 from mines and geology, 21 from labour, factories and boilers, four from the cooperative department, and three from the energy department.

He also noted that the state is embracing technology to streamline governance. Through initiatives like WhatsApp Governance, Andhra Pradesh has made 520 citizen services available online, ensuring faster, more accessible public service delivery. Efforts are ongoing to digitally integrate all departments.

Senior officials, including special chief secretary G Anantha Ramu, principal secretaries Kumar Vishwajith and S Suresh Kumar, Secretaries Dr N Yuvaraj and Pratibha Devi, fire services director Murali and Central and state officials took part in the discussions.

•State is aligning laws with national standards as part of ease of trade