Manipur Cabinet Approves Single Trade License Bill to Cut Red Tape

Imphal: Manipur officials moved to slash red tape on September 1. The state Cabinet approved the draft Manipur Unified (Trade, Shops & Establishment) Licensing Bill, 2026. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh chaired the meeting at the CM Secretariat in Babupara.

Business owners currently face a mess of multiple, overlapping permits. The new bill creates one unified system. It forces current state laws to yield to this single framework. This change stops dual licensing and cuts down on redundant paperwork. Government offices will see less foot traffic. The state wants to boost the ease of doing business.

The legislation includes clear safeguards. It builds in a grievance redressal mechanism to block arbitrary actions by regulators. Officials stated the move aims at "eliminating dual and overlapping licensing requirements and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses."

The Cabinet also cleared an amendment to the 2021 Manipur Shops and Establishments Act. This change liberalizes how shops operate. It specifically targets areas where businesses hit identical compliance hurdles multiple times. These twin actions aim to kill procedural traps for traders. The Assembly will review the new bill in the upcoming session.