AP Omnibus (Speed of Doing Business) Bill passed in Legislative Assembly

On Wednesday, India's Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly approved the A.P. Omnibus (Speed of Doing Business) Bill, 2026. This legislation modifies three existing Acts - the A.P. Fire Service Act, 1999, the AP Industrial Single Window Clearance Act, 2002, and the AP Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act, 2017. The primary objective of the Bill is to establish a trust-based regulatory framework, improve citizens' quality of life, and expedite business operations through deregulation and compliance reduction measures.

The Bill redefines bye-laws and fire prevention and life safety measures in the A.P. Fire Service Act of 1999, while eliminating references to the National Building Code and empanelment of third-party fire audit agencies for fire safety certificate renewals. This simplification of regulatory processes enhances efficiency, transparency, accountability, and timely service delivery in the fire sector.

For industrial approvals, the Bill consolidates the Single Desk Bureau into Andhra Pradesh's Single Nodal Agency for all business approvals. This new entity operates under a two-tier institutional mechanism involving State and District Committees, a Central Inspection System, and an optional Investment Facilitation Agency. These amendments streamline the approval process and foster a more efficient governance system.

In the realm of public service delivery, the Bill addresses a significant issue by introducing an auto-appeal mechanism. Previously, aggrieved applicants had to manually file appeals for rejected applications or delayed public services, often resulting in lengthy and cumbersome procedures. The new system automatically files an appeal through the Single Desk Portal, ensuring timely resolution without the applicant's intervention.

This development aims to minimize procedural burdens and promote a more responsive and accountable public service sector.