Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) received over 1,000 building permit applications in five months of operations

The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) has received over 1,000 building permit applications through the Yangon Building Permit System (YBPS), a fully automated system making all processes related to building permits including inspection requests completely online, significantly improving processing times, in just five months of operations.

The YPBS was designed to boost private investment in the city’s construction sector. The system, an initiative of IFC, aims to reduce work procedures, eliminate the need for paper applications, and cut frequent meetings between staff and applicants.

“The YBPS online application system has shown to be effective as building professionals can submit their applications anywhere and at any time. This had a significant positive impact during COVID-19,” said Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, YCDC Secretary.

The initiative, with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), has helped modernize the permit system, providing new software and training for staff. A one-stop-shop has also been opened for prospective builders to obtain construction permits.

“Myanmar’s construction sector accounts for around five percent of the workforce or about one million workers and has among the highest earning potential for people,” said Jane Xu, IFC Country Manager for Myanmar and Thailand. “Streamlining the construction permit process is helping to improve transparency, cut red tape, and speed up processing for permits which will ultimately improve the overall investment climate in Yangon. This is part of IFC’s larger effort to support the development of the private sector and spur job creation.”

Myanmar is trying to have a better ranking at the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index and dealing with construction permits is one of the 10 subindices that the index is based upon.

The ten subindices are starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.

(Myanmar Business Today: https://mmbiztoday.com/yangon-building-permit-system-receives-1000-applications-in-five-months/ )

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