The Himachal Pradesh Single Window (Investment, Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2018

AUTHORIATIVE ENGLISH TEXT 

THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

Sections: 

1.  Short title and commencement. 

2.  Definitions. 

3.  State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority. 

4.  Powers and Functions of the State Single Window Clearance 

and Monitoring Authority. 

5.  State Single Window Nodal Officer (SWNO). 

6.  Functions of the State Single Window Nodal Officer. 

7.  Departmental Nodal Officer. 

8.  State Review Committee. 

9.  Powers and functions of the State Review Committee. 

10.  State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell. 

11.  Role and functions of the State Investment Promotion and 

Facilitation Cell. 

12.  Procedure for granting clearances. 

13.  Deemed clearances. 

14.  Timelines for granting clearances. 

15.  State Single Window Web Portal. 

16.  Common Application Form. 

17.  Self-Certification by the Applicants. 

18.  Memorandum of Understanding. 

19.  Rationalisation of inspections. 

20.  Protection of action taken in good faith. 

21.  Penalties. 

22.  Revision. 

23.  Confidentiality. 

24.  Transitional provisions. 

25.  Appeals. 

26.  Act to have an overriding effect. 



2  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

27.  Powers to remove difficulties. 

28.  Powers to make rules. 

_____________ 

THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(ACT NO. 5 OF 2018)
1
 

(Received the assent of the Governor on the 18
th
 May, 2018 and was 

published in the Rajpatra (e-Gazette), Himachal Pradesh dated 24
th
 May, 

2018, pp. 1770-1795). 

An Act to provide for time bound clearances for setting up of an 

industrial undertaking, commencement of production therein and 

promotion of industrial development in the State. 

BE it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh in 

the Sixty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 

1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the 

Himachal Pradesh Single Window (Investment, Promotion and Facilitation) 

Act, 2018. 

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by 

notification in the Rajpatra (e-Gazette), Himachal Pradesh, appoint, and 

different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act. 

2. Definitions.- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- 

(a)  “Appellate Authority” means the Authority as empowered 

under section 25 of the Act; 

(b)  “Applicable laws” means Acts, Rules or Regulations, as may 

be prescribed; 

(c)  “Applicant” means a person including an entrepreneur, who 

himself or on behalf of a legal entity on being so authorized, 

makes an application for grant of requisite clearances for the 

setting up and commencement of production of his industrial 

undertaking or expansion of existing industrial undertaking; 

(d) “Appropriate Authority” means any Department or Agency of 

the Government or statutory body which is entrusted with the 

powers and responsibilities to grant clearances for setting up 

and commencement of operations of an enterprise in the 

State; 

(e)  “Clearance” means granting of no-objection certificate, 

consent, approval, permission, registration, enrolment, 

                                                           

1  Passed in Hindi by the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. For Statement of Objects 

and Reasons see the Rajpatra(e-Gazette), Himachal Pradesh, dated 6
th

 April, 2018, 

pp. 114 and 126. 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  3 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

license, concession and the like by any Appropriate Authority 

or a Departmental Nodal Officer in connection with the 

setting up and subsequent operation of an enterprise in the 

State and will include all such permissions as are required 

under any applicable laws; 

(f)  “Common Application Form (CAF)” means e-application 

form prescribed for applying for clearances through online 

State Single Window Portal; 

(g)  “Competent Authority” means a duly authorised officer of the 

Appropriate Authority who has been notified as an officer 

competent to grant all requisite clearances and the like which 

are required to be obtained from that Authority for the setting 

up an industry and commencement of production therein in 

the State; 

(h)  “Department” means a department of the State Government; 

(i)  “Departmental Nodal Officer” means an officer of the 

concerned Appropriate Authority, so designated and notified 

as Competent officer under this Act to specifically receive, 

process and convey the clearances, decision of such Authority 

to the applicant or to the State Single Window Nodal Officer; 

(j)  “Director” means the Director of Industries Department; 

(k)  “e-application” means Common Application submitted by the 

Applicant through online State Single Window Portal; 

(l)  “Government” or “State Government” means the Government 

of Himachal Pradesh; 

(m)  “Industrial Policy” means the Industrial Policy or schemes of 

the Central Government or the Government of Himachal 

Pradesh, as may be applicable and notified from time to time 

for industrial promotion, regulation or administration; 

(n)  “Industrial undertaking” means an undertaking engaged in 

manufacturing or processing or both, or providing service of 

doing any other business or commercial activity; 

(o)  “Notification” means a notification published in the Rajpatra 

(e-Gazette), Himachal Pradesh; 

(p)  “Notified time frame” means the timelines as prescribed for 

granting the specified clearances; 

(q)  “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

(r)  “State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell” means a 

cell as constituted under sub-section (1) of section 10 of this 

Act, operating under the Department of Industries for 

receiving, processing and taking a decision on the e-

Application; 



4  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(s)  “State Review Committee” means a committee as constituted 

under section 8 of this Act; 

(t)  “State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority” 

means the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring 

Authority as constituted under Section 3 of this Act; 

(u)  “State Single Window Nodal Officer (SWNO)” means an 

officer appointed under section 5 of this Act; and 

(v)  “State Single Window Portal” or “Web Portal” means a web-

portal set up under section 15 of this Act. 

3. State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority.- (1) 

The State Government shall by notification constitute a State Single Window 

Clearance and Monitoring Authority consisting of the following, namely :- 

(a)  Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh  Chairman; 

(b)  Industries Minister, Himachal Pradesh Vice-Chairman; 

(c)  Chief Secretary to the Government   Member; 

(d)  Secretary (Industries) to the Government  Member; 

(e)  Secretary (Revenue) to the Government   Member; 

(f)  Secretary (Forest) to the Government   Member; 

(g)  Secretary (Labour) to the Government   Member; 

(h)  Secretary (Town and Country Planning)   Member;     

to the Government. 

(i)  Secretary (Urban Development) to the   Member; 

Government 

(j)  Secretary (Environment, Science and   Member; 

and Technology) to the Government. 

(k)  Director of Industries Department  Member 

Secretary. 

(2) The Government may, by notification, alter the constitution of the 

State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority. 

4. Powers and Functions of the State Single Window Clearance 
and Monitoring Authority.- (1) All investment proposals, above Rupees Ten 

crore, for setting up of industrial undertakings or expansion of the existing 

industrial undertakings shall be placed before the State Single Window 

Clearance and Monitoring Authority for approval in-principle. 

(2) The State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

may also take up the proposals recommended by the State Review Committee. 

(3) The members of the State Single Window Clearance and 

Monitoring Authority shall personally attend the meeting and in case such 

member is unable to attend the meeting, he shall depute a senior officer to 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  5 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

attend the meeting with an authorization in writing to take appropriate 

decisions in the meeting. 

(4) The State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

shall meet at such intervals and at such place, as the Chairman of the 

Authority may decide. 

(5) The State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

shall examine the applications for giving clearances, special concessions, 

exemptions or relaxations under the provisions of law, after taking into 

consideration the comments of the Department, if any, and make the 

recommendations to the Government. 

(6) The State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

may grant approval in principle for setting up of industrial undertakings or 

expansion of existing industrial undertaking in the State. 

(7) On specific request of the applicant(s), the State Single Window 

Clearance and Monitoring Authority may also make recommendations to the 

State Government to grant special financial incentives or package over and 

above the policy provisions for the new or existing industrial undertakings in 

the interest of the State. 

(8) After the approval or recommendations under sub-section (6) or 

sub-section (7), the Appropriate Authority, on completion of the required 

codal formalities by the applicant, shall issue the required clearances after 

following the prescribed procedure. 

(9) The State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

may review its own decisions either on its own motion or on receipt of a 

representation from any quarter. 

5. State Single Window Nodal Officer (SWNO).- The Director of 

Industries will be the State Single Window Nodal Officer. The Government 

may also appoint any other officer(s), not below the rank of Deputy Director, 

to assist the State Single Window Nodal Officer for discharging the functions 

as specified in this Act. The State Single Window Nodal Officer and other 

officers appointed under this section shall undertake the investment 

promotional activities and render necessary guidance and assistance to the 

entrepreneurs to set up industrial undertakings in the State. 

6. Functions of the State Single Window Nodal Officer.- The 

powers and functions of the State Single Window Nodal Officer will be,- 

(a)  to receive e-application and forward the same to the 

Departmental Nodal Officer of the Department concerned for 

comments; 

(b)  to place all the proposals above Rupees Ten crore before the 

State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority for 

decision; 



6  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(c)  to co-ordinate with all the Departmental Nodal Officers in 

accordance with the procedure prescribed to obtain required 

clearances; 

(d)  to provide all necessary assistance to the applicant(s) to set up 

industrial undertaking(s) in the State; 

(e)  to co-ordinate all efforts for promoting investments and other 

related activities in the State; 

(f)  to act as a Competent Authority to sign all documents, 

approvals, sanctions, grants or instructions required to be 

issued to the industrial undertaking(s); 

(g)  to monitor investments in various projects for which the 

approval has been granted by the State Investment Promotion 

and Facilitation Cell, the State Review Committee or the 

State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority, as 

the case may be; 

(h)  to prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, half yearly and 

yearly progress reports to the State Single Window Clearance 

and Monitoring Authority and the State Government; and 

(i)  to perform any other job assigned by the State Single 

Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the 

Government, as the case may be. 

7. Departmental Nodal Officer.- (1) The Secretary in each 

department shall appoint a Departmental Nodal Officer, who shall act as the 

Competent Authority to exercise the powers for granting clearances required 

from the concerned Department under their respective applicable laws. 

(2) The Departmental Nodal Officer will be the single point of contact 

for the State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell for granting 

clearance(s). 

(3) The Departmental Nodal Officer will co-ordinate and follow up 

with the field offices of the respective Department with regard to the pending 

clearance(s) and will ensure grant of clearance(s) by his Department in time. 

(4) For the purpose of this Act, the Departmental Nodal Officer shall 

work under the overall supervision of the State Single Window Nodal Officer 

(SWNO), who may be authorised to initiate their Annual Appraisal Report, in 

part. 

8. State Review Committee.- (1) The State Review Committee shall 

consist of the following, namely:- 

(a)  State Single Window Nodal Officer   Chairman; 

(b)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Excise and  Member; 

Taxation Department. 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  7 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(c)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Himachal   Member; 

Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited 

(d)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Labour  Member; 

Department. 

(e)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Himachal   Member; 

Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. 

(f)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Horticulture Member; 

Department. 

(g)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Town and   Member; 

Country Planning Department 

(h) Departmental Nodal Officer, Forest  Member; 

Department. 

(i)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Irrigation  Member; and 

and Public Health Department. 

(j)  Departmental Nodal Officer, Industries  Member 

Department.      Secretary. 

(2) The Committee may co-opt a professional as a member, if so 

required, for proper and effective discharge of its functions. 

(3) The members of the committee will attend the meeting personally. 

(4) Half the number of members will be required to constitute quorum 

to hold the meeting of the Committee. 

(5) The Committee may meet at least once in thirty days at such 

place, as may be decided by the Chairman. 

(6) The members of the Committee will take up the investment 

applications requiring clearances from their respective Departments and will 

adhere to timelines, as may be prescribed, or the shorter timelines specified by 

the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or by the State 

Review Committee, as the case may be. 

(7) Approval accorded by the Committee will be binding on all the 

concerned Departments. 

(8) The Committee may hire the services of professional(s) or 

consultant(s) in the State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell to 

promote industrialisation in the State, and to provide handholding support to 

the applicants, desirous of setting up industrial undertakings in the State. 

9. Powers and functions of the State Review Committee.- The 

powers and functions of the State Review Committee shall be,- 

(a)  to examine, consider and process the proposals received from 

the applicant(s) for establishment or expansion of industrial 

undertakings; 



8  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(b)  to facilitate obtaining of required clearances or comments, as 

the case may be, on e-applications; 

(c)  to forward all approved e-applications or projects to the State 

Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell for rendering 

further handholding till the project reaches the commissioning 

of commercial production stage or thereafter during the 

lifecycle of the project; 

(d)  to monitor and review the progress of granting required 

clearance(s), the status of sanctioned projects, difficulties 

being faced by them, or functioning of the Online Single 

Window Web Portal and the State Investment Promotion and 

Facilitation Cell; 

(e)  to forward unapproved e-applications to the State Investment 

Promotion and Facilitation Cell for handholding and 

guidance; 

(f)  to recommend amending of the timelines, as prescribed to 

facilitate ease of doing business in the State; 

(g)  to monitor the submission of appeals to the State Single 

Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority and implement 

its directives; 

(h)  to submit half yearly action taken report to the State Single 

Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority; and 

(i)  to carry out such other functions as may be assigned to it by 

the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

or the State Government. 

10. State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell.- (1) The 

Government shall set up a State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell in 

the Directorate of Industries to provide secretariat support to the State Single 

Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority and the State Review 

Committee. The Cell will also act as an industrial investment promotion and 

facilitation support centre, for handholding and supporting the applicants or 

budding entrepreneurs and the new and existing industrial undertakings. 

(2) The officers of Industries Department at the district and local level 

will act as local nodes of the State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell 

for disposing of all investment proposals in the State received through the 

Common Application Form. The Cell shall work with the Officers of the 

Industries Department across the State to establish a State wide hub and spoke 

structure which will address business concerns and issues collectively with 

them. 

(3) The Departmental Nodal Officers will also be the Officers of the 

State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell. 

11. Role and functions of the State Investment Promotion and 
Facilitation Cell.- (1) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  9 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

will be responsible for receiving the eapplications, their subsequent 

processing as per the procedure laid down in this Act and take the proposals to 

the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the State 

Review Committee, as the case may be. 

(2) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell will function 

as an expert project approval, monitoring and implementation group, which 

will act as a single focal point of interface between applicants and the 

Government Departments for facilitating the new investment proposal(s), 

providing necessary assistance for setting of the projects approved by the 

State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the State 

Review Committee, assisting the applicants in obtaining required clearances 

from the Departments concerned, in a time bound manner. 

(3) It will co-ordinate with all departments through concerned 

Departmental Nodal Officer or with the officers of the Appropriate Authority 

deputed with the Cell to help implementation of the projects on ground. 

(4) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell will also 

provide handholding support to the industrial undertakings in resolving any 

functional difficulties throughout their lifecycle. 

(5) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell may set up 

and maintain a helpline number and grievance redressal mechanism to 

facilitate entrepreneurs and redress their grievances. 

(6) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell will issue 

incentive eligibility certificate, wherever required, and help the applicants in 

applying for admissible incentives, concessions and facilities and sanctioning 

thereof. 

(7) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell shall 

monitor the functioning of industrial undertakings or projects established in 

the State and present half yearly report to the State Single Window Clearance 

and Monitoring Authority and the State Review Committee. 

(8) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell will 

maintain an integrated web portal for providing relevant online sectorial 

information to the potential investors with regard to land-banks, the State 

Policies, incentives, etc. 

(9) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell may 

organize workshops, seminars, investment promotion activities to promote 

investment in the State, in the country or abroad. 

(10) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell may 

appoint consultants on need basis as are required to perform its functions. 

(11) The State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell will 

exercise all or any specific powers or functions assigned by the State Single 

Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the State Government from 

time to time. 



10  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

12. Procedure for granting clearances.- Notwithstanding anything 

contained in any other law, the following procedure will be followed by the 

applicants and all Departments for granting clearances for setting up of 

industrial undertakings in the State,- 

(a)  All applicants shall apply through e-applications; 

(b)  All e-applications shall be assigned a reference number by the 

system automatically which may be used by the applicants to 

check the status of the same online; 

(c)  The applicants will be kept informed at all stages of 

processing of applications by way of Short Message Service 

(SMS) or email or both; 

(d)  All e-applications, complete in all respects, received by the 

State Single Window Nodal Officer will be initially examined 

by him in the State Investment Promotion and Facilitation 

Cell; 

(e)  The e-applications will thereafter be forwarded electronically 

to the concerned Departmental Nodal Officer; 

(f)  The Departmental Nodal Officer shall access the e-

application through the web-portal, the link of which shall be 

made available to him by the State Investment Promotion and 

Facilitation Cell; 

(g)  The Appropriate Authority shall also notify the procedure for 

the grant of required clearances and publish the same in their 

respective Departmental websites; 

(h)  The Departmental Nodal Officer may work in his 

Department or may be deputed to the State Investment 

Promotion and Facilitation Cell. He may have assistance of 

such officials, as may be provided to him, by his parent 

Department; 

(i) The approvals or observations, if any, by the Departmental 

Nodal Officer will be sent electronically to the State Single 

Window Nodal Officer and will be accessible to the 

applicants also; 

(j)  The applicants, in case of observations, will send their reply 

to the State Single Window Nodal Officer who will forward 

the same to the concerned Departmental Nodal Officer. All 

observations of the Department will be conveyed by the 

Departmental Nodal Officer in one go. Any subsequent 

clarification(s), if found absolutely necessary, will be 

obtained and settled within seven working days, and the final 

decision will be conveyed to the State Single Window Nodal 

Officer within the time period specified; 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  11 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

(k)  While processing and granting clearance, the Appropriate 

Authority may ask for any additional information from the 

applicants : 

Provided that such additional information shall be 

sought by the Appropriate Authority within the period 

prescribed for granting such clearance and that any additional 

information shall be called for only once; 

(l)  In case, additional information is sought for clearance (s), the 

e-application shall be disposed of within the stipulated period, 

which shall be counted from the date of receipt of the 

additional information; 

(m)  The e-applications shall be disposed of at the earliest and 

under no circumstances later than such period, as may be 

prescribed; 

(n)  In case of rejection of e-application by the Departmental 

Nodal Officer, the same shall be conveyed within given time 

frame to the State Single Window Nodal Officer, by giving 

detailed reasons of rejection; 

(o)  The approval shall be conveyed by the Departmental Nodal 

Officer electronically to the applicant(s) and the clearance 

letter duly signed electronically or manually shall be 

uploaded on the web portal for information and downloading; 

(p)  The provision will also be made in the web portal for 

verification of clearance(s); and  

(q)  The applicant(s) shall be liable to make payments, as may be 

prescribed for all the required clearances. 

13. Deemed clearances.- (1) In case, the Departmental Nodal Officer 

or Appropriate Authority does not respond to the e-application forwarded by 

the State Single Window Nodal Officer or the State Investment Promotion and 

Facilitation Cell, within the prescribed timeline, the requisite clearances 

applied for by the applicant, shall be deemed to have been granted and no 

further objection, will be raised : 

Provided that e-applications, technically in order for granting 

clearances, shall only qualify for deemed clearance(s). 

(2) A clearance certificate under the sub-section (1) shall be issued to 

the applicant by the concerned Departmental Nodal Officer, after obtaining 

the fee as may be prescribed. 

(3) The granting of deemed clearance under sub-section (1) shall be 

binding on the concerned Departments and shall be granted through web 

portal. 

14. Timelines for granting clearances.- (1) All new proposals or 

proposals for expansion of the existing industrial undertakings which need 



12  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

clearances under one or more of the applicable laws, will be eligible for 

facilitation under this Act. 

(2) For all clearances, the Departmental Nodal Officer will process 

such e-applications, as and when, received by him, within the timeline as may 

be prescribed. 

15. State Single Window Web Portal.- The State Investment 

Promotion and Facilitation Cell will maintain and operate a web-portal for 

filing of e-applications, for grant of clearances and for setting up an industrial 

undertaking in the State and under various applicable laws. The State Single 

Window Nodal Officer will operate the portal as administrator. The nodes of 

the portal will be made available to all the Appropriate Authorities enabling 

them to access the portal from their respective offices. 

16. Common Application Form.- (1) The Common Application 

Form will be used to file e-applications, alongwith fees as may be prescribed, 

in lieu of the existing multiple forms being used under various laws. All 

concerned Appropriate Authorities will accept such e-applications for 

processing and granting requisite clearances. 

(2) The Common Application Form shall be in a format as may be 

prescribed. 

17. Self-Certification by the Applicants.- (1) In order to comply 

with the provisions of the applicable laws every applicant may furnish 

requisite information with self-certification, in such form as may be 

prescribed, at the time of submitting the e-application. 

(2) The self-certification furnished as per sub-section (1) by the 

applicants will be accepted by the appropriate authority for the purpose of 

granting of clearances and giving other benefits to the applicants. 

18. Memorandum of Understanding.- (1) The Chairman of the State 

Review Committee or any other Officer authorised by the State Government 

in this behalf may sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the applicant 

desirous of setting up an industrial undertaking in the State, if so, approved by 

the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the State 

Government, as the case may be. 

(2) The Memorandum of Understanding shall be signed in the format, 

as may be prescribed. 

19. Rationalisation of inspections.- The State Single Window 

Clearance and Monitoring Authority may direct the Appropriate Authority to 

conduct inspections through empanelled third party inspectors, or conduct 

joint inspections required to be undertaken under the provisions of applicable 

laws. However, inspection on specific complaints may be conducted by the 

Appropriate Authority. 

20. Protection of action taken in good faith.- No suit, prosecution or 

other legal proceedings will lie against the Chairperson or the member of the 

State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority or the State 



 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, PROMOTION  13 

AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

Review Committee or any employee of the Government, of anything which is 

done in good faith or intended to be done, under this Act or any rule made 

thereunder. 

21. Penalties.- (1) Any applicant who gives false information or fails 

to comply with the conditions or undertakings in the self-certification given 

on the web portal or to any Appropriate Authority, as the case may be, will 

face penalty which may extend to Rupees Fifteen thousand for the first 

offence and upto Rupees Twenty five thousand for the second or subsequent 

offences. 

(2) The Director, Industries Department will be the Competent 

Authority to pass an order to impose a penalty under sub-section (1) : 

Provided that no order of penalty will be passed without giving the 

concerned person an opportunity of being heard. 

(3) The Director, Industries Department will communicate order 

passed under sub-section (2) to the applicant concerned. The applicant will 

have to deposit the amount of such penalty with the State Investment 

Promotion and Facilitation Cell within thirty days from the date of 

communication of the order. 

(4) In case of undue delay in processing the case for clearances as per 

the time schedule prescribed, action shall be taken against the concerned 

officer by the concerned Disciplinary Authority under the applicable Service 

Conduct Rules. 

22. Revision.- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law, the 

State Government may, either on its own or on an application made to it in 

this behalf, call for the record of any proceeding before any Competent 

Authority or the State Authority or State Review Committee and examine the 

propriety of the proceedings or orders passed therein, so as to ensure that the 

orders are neither against the public policy nor against the provisions of law, 

and pass such orders as it may think fit within one year of issuance of the 

orders, being so revised in case of rejection of the application for permission 

and within three months in case of grant of permission. 

(2) The order passed by the Government under this section shall be 

final and binding on all concerned. 

23. Confidentiality.- No agency or authority of the Government or, 

any local authority, including any functionaries thereunder, shall disclose to 

any other applicant or to a person not duly authorised, any information 

forming the intellectual property of the investor without the consent of such 

investor : 

Provided that all information in respect of the terms and conditions of 

the investment made in the State and the facilities, if any, provided to the 

investor by the Government or Appropriate Authority shall be notified by the 

Government, for information of the public. 



14  THE HIMACHAL PRADESH SINGLE WINDOW (INVESTMENT, 

PROMOTION AND FACILITATION) ACT, 2018 

24. Transitional provisions.- The provisions of this Act shall apply 

to all investment proposals that have been under consideration of the 

Government or Appropriate Authority on the date of commencement of this 

Act, if the concerned investor so opts by submitting an e-application. 

25. Appeals.- Any applicant aggrieved by the orders of,- 

(a)  the State Single Window Nodal Officer or the Departmental 

Nodal Officer or State Review Committee may file an appeal 

to the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring 

Authority; and 

(b)  the State Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority 

may file an appeal to the State Government within a period of 

thirty days from the date of the receipt of the order. 

26. Act to have an overriding effect.- The provisions of this Act 

shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other 

State law, for the time being in force : 

Provided that fine, penalty or duty etc., if any, under the applicable 

laws will be imposed as per provisions of such applicable laws. 

27. Powers to remove difficulties.- (1) If any difficulty arises in 

giving effect to any of the provisions of this Act, the State Government may, 

by general or special order published in the Rajpatra (e-Gazette), Himachal 

Pradesh, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 

or rules made thereunder, as may appear to be necessary or expedient for 

removing the said difficulty : 

Provided that no order under this section shall be made after expiry of 

a period of two years from the commencement of this Act. 

(2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may 

be, after it is made, before the Legislative Assembly. 

28. Powers to make rules.- (1) The State Government may, by 

notification, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) All the rules made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be 

after they are so made, before the Legislative Assembly, while it is in session, 

for a period of not less than fifteen days, which may be comprised in one 

session or in two successive sessions and, if before the expiry of the session in 

which they are so laid or of the session immediately following, the Assembly 

makes any modification(s) in the rules or the Assembly decides that the rules 

should not be made, such rules shall have effect only in such modified form or 

be of no effect, as the case may be. 

However, that any such modification or annulment shall be without 

prejudice to the validity of anything done earlier thereunder. 

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