NITI Aayog proposes faster green nods for chemical sector

The government think-tank NITI Aayog on Thursday called for sweeping reforms to slash environmental clearance times for chemical manufacturing projects from nearly two years to six months, citing bureaucratic delays that it said deterred foreign investment.

- Vrinda Tulsian

The average clearance now takes 451 days — 196 days longer than the prescribed 255-day timeline—with 90% of projects facing delays, according to a report launched in Delhi by NITI CEO BVR Subrahmanyam and vice chairman Suman Bery.

“These delays significantly inflate project costs and disrupt industrial development,” the report stated, noting India’s approval process takes substantially longer than the United States’ one year or the European Union's 12-18 months for major projects.