Andhra Pradesh's Self-Certification Scheme 2025: Streamlining Construction Permissions
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has unveiled the landmark Self-Certification Scheme 2025 for the construction sector, which aims to ensure ease and speed, giving a significant boost to the real estate sector. This move is expected to streamline construction activities and enhance the 'speed of doing business' in the state.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had announced a simplification of the permissions process for construction of buildings and layouts. This was followed by the issuance of the relevant rules through a Government Order (GO). Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana announced that the revised guidelines for self-certified building permissions under the Self Certification Scheme 2025 were issued on Sunday, marking a significant step towards streamlining and accelerating construction activities across the state.
The Chief Minister stated, 'The introduction of SCS 2025 is a strategic move by the government to help citizens get development permissions in a hassle-free manner. This would enhance the ‘speed of doing business’ in the state and foster a participatory approach to development that will boost the real estate sector and the construction industry. The core objectives include making the building environment safe, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable while contributing to economic development by enhancing Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and cultivating an investment-friendly environment.'
This initiative is expected to proactively address the reduction of compliance burden and deregulation, aligning with efforts to avail incentives under the central government’s scheme – the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26. The revised guidelines will be integrated as Chapter XIV in the AP Building Rules, 2017.
Principal Secretary to Urban Development, Suresh Kumar, emphasized that a fundamental aspect of the SCS 2025 is the proactive devolution of enforcement power and responsibilities, vis-à-vis adherence to approved building permissions, directly to licensed technical personnel and citizens on a trust basis. The Online Building Permission System (OBPS) is equipped to scrutinize applications and issue building permissions instantaneously after the payment of necessary fees and charges, operating on a trust basis. This rapid approval process is a cornerstone of improving the speed of doing business.
Upon obtaining permission through OBPS, applicants are authorized to commence construction immediately. Supervisory checks by town planning functionaries for self-certified buildings are dispensed with, and a random selection of 10 to 15 percent of the total files will undergo inspection, reducing the compliance burden on the public and developers.
All building plan applications, along with essential documents, fees, and mortgage details, must be submitted through the OBPS by a licensed technical person. A crucial addition to the process is a signed self-certification proforma by both the applicant and the LTP, affirming the authenticity and accuracy of all submitted information and documents.
In its initial phase, the self-certification scheme 2025 is applicable to specific categories of construction projects, specifically to non-high-rise residential building plan permissions for plot areas up to 4000 sq-mt. This includes plots in approved layouts, layouts regularized under LRS - 2008 and LRS 2020 schemes, village sites, and Gramakantam areas with approved circulation patterns, and redevelopment of existing buildings with prior approved plans or those existing before 1985. The scheme also covers the establishment of white category industries, as defined by the AP Pollution Control Board, provided they have a site extent of 500 sq-mt or below.
