The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on February 04, 2026, issued a notification regarding processing of applications under the Punjab Right to Business Amendment Act and the Punjab Right to Business (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
The Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020 was enacted to promote ease of doing business by enabling time-bound approvals through self-declaration and issuance of a Certificate of In-Principle Approval (CIPA) valid for 3 years and 6 months. Its scope has been expanded through the 2025 amendment to include certain environmental approvals of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been introduced to ensure uniform processing of such applications across regional offices.
Under the SOP, applications along with prescribed documents are to be electronically circulated by the District Nodal Agency to the Scrutiny Committee within stipulated timelines. Required documents include land ownership or consent, site location plan, master plan marking, manufacturing process flow, and CRO report where applicable. For industries outside approved industrial areas, siting and environmental criteria prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, the State Government, and other competent authorities will apply.
Fees for Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate under applicable environmental laws will be charged for the full CIPA validity period of 3 years and 6 months based on the unit’s fixed investment, and such fees will be adjusted when regular approvals are processed. Norms, provisions, and fee structures applicable at the time of filing the Declaration of Intent will continue to apply if regular approvals are sought within the prescribed validity period; otherwise, prevailing norms at the time of application will apply.
Time-bound issuance of CIPA has been specified based on the location of the enterprise. Units within approved industrial parks will receive CIPA within 3 working days for new enterprises and 5 working days for existing enterprises, while units outside approved parks will receive decisions within 15 and 20 working days respectively. If no decision is issued within the prescribed time, approval will be deemed granted.
Applications will be processed by designated authorities based on industry category and location, in accordance with delegated powers of the Board. Environmental Engineers or competent authorities will process Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate applications, with fees structured according to industry category and approval duration.
[Notification No. SEE(HQ-2)/F.no.660/2026/2388]
