Jaipur: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday inaugurated Vanijya Bhawan and Udyog Bhawan in Jaipur, making it the first city and the first state capital to bring the offices of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and its associated organisations under a single location, news agency IANS reported, citing an official statement.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press

The inauguration marked the beginning of the co-location of the ministry's offices. The ministry has around 500 offices and 46 organisations, and most of them - except very large campuses such as the large ECGC office in Mumbai - will be brought under the co-location arrangement, the minister said, adding that the concept should be extended to other state capitals.

Goyal directed that all processes, including applications for licences and permits and SCOMET approvals, should move entirely online, and set March 31, 2027 as the deadline for completing the necessary digitisation, including past data and records at the Directorate General of Foreign Trade's regional authorities, DD News reported.

Source: DD India via The Hona News

From April 1, 2027, no person should be required or expected to visit any of these offices physically for such services, the minister said, while also encouraging greater use of self-certification. He further directed that CCTV cameras in the offices be connected to a central server at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi for periodic checks of functioning and security.

The co-location is intended to make it easier for traders, exporters and businesses in Rajasthan to reach the ministry's departments and allied bodies - including foreign trade, industry promotion and export-related organisations - at one address in the state capital instead of visiting offices scattered across the city.