Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said the Government is planning to cut down the whole process of environmental clearance to real estate projects to 60 days in a few days to come.

"Environmental clearances used to be stumbling blocks before 2014. Average time taken to clear projects was 640 days. After we took over, we made processes so easy that now it takes only 108 days for a project to get environmental clearance", he said at the 15th National Convention of  NAREDCO held here. National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) was established as an autonomous self-regulatory body in 1998 under the aegis of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Javedekar emphasised that small procedural delays can be done away with, without compromising on environmental clearances. "Our priority is both environmental protection and development, only then our country can become a five-billion dollar economy. That's why the suggestions of institutions like NAREDCO are very important", he said.

The Minister further added that his Ministry is in the process of issuing standard conditions for every project such as wage recycling and water harvesting as per the size of the real estate project. And these conditions will not be more than 10.

"We are bringing about a regime change. We will introduce fewer conditions, but ensure their fullest implementation.  If need be, we will amend the law so that you get the ease of doing responsible business. Because freedom is never a one-way street," the minister said.

He further informed that the Union Environment Ministry is also in discussion with states to make the environmental process smoother and less time consuming. "The states must realize that the Centre has delegated environmental protection to them so that they do it with a sense of responsibility," he added.