Industry Setup & Manufacturing Plant Approvals India - 20 Sector-Specific Services

A typical manufacturing unit requires: (i) Industrial-area allotment from SIE/EMC; (ii) Consent to Establish from the State Pollution Control Board under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981; (iii) Factory Licence under the Factories Act 1948 with Plan Approval before construction; (iv) Boiler Licence under the Boilers Act 1923 if boilers are used; (v) BIS product certification under the BIS Act 2016 where QCOs apply; (vi) GST, EPF, ESI registrations; (vii) Legal Metrology registration for packaged commodities.

Consent to Establish (CTE) under the Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981 typically takes 30-90 days from a complete application, depending on the State Pollution Control Board and the Red / Orange / Green / White category of the industry. Red-category large industries require additional EIA notification under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, extending timelines to 6-12 months.

BIS certification is mandatory under the BIS Act 2016 only for products notified under a Quality Control Order (QCO) issued by the Central Government. As of 2026, QCOs cover more than 500 product categories including steel, cement, electrical appliances, toys, footwear, chemicals, and pressure cookers. For non-QCO products, BIS ISI mark certification is voluntary.

Consent to Establish (CTE) is issued by the State Pollution Control Board before construction of the industrial plant, based on the proposed manufacturing process, raw materials, and pollution-control systems. Consent to Operate (CTO) is issued after the plant is built, equipment is installed, and pollution-control devices are commissioned. CTO is renewed periodically (1-5 years depending on category).

Solar PV power plants and wind power plants are categorised as 'White' under the CPCB classification (Notification dated 14 March 2016) and do not require Consent to Establish or Consent to Operate - only an intimation to the State Pollution Control Board. Biomass, hydro, and green-hydrogen plants are typically 'Orange' or 'Red' category and require full consent.