Much-awaited single window clearance system for industries in Jharkhand is not a far cry now. The Industry Department has gone ahead with the idea and decided to open the one point approval spot on August 10.
Informing about this, Chief Secretary Rajiv Gauba said that the step would be a marked improvement in the field of entrepreneurial development in the State which had not been the case before.
“lots of work has been done in the State in the recent past though there is perhaps inadequate awareness among the industry people about those. Reform agenda is a continuing process and ease of doing business is a part of the reform agenda. One aspect in this regard is opening a single window clearance system where all the relevant Departments work in close coordination. I am happy that such a system is going to be established in Jharkhand on August 10,” said the Chief Secretary while addressing a workshop of CII on ‘Make in India-Jharkhand’ on Thursday.
The single window system would bring together crucial departments such as labour and Employment, Pollution Control Board, land and Revenue, Energy, Forest and Environment and Commercial Taxes. Any entrepreneur, following the roll out, would need to apply through combined application form, can get unified response and get disbursal of incentives at one point.
Industry Secretary Himani Pandey substantiated the development, adding that the legislation for the purpose was in the advanced drafting stage. “It would come next month. We are also in the process of providing one access ID for various Departments for the business people. Also, timeline would be fixed for dealing with applications and would be linked with the Service Guarantee Act for the purpose of fixing accountability and for follow-up punitive action,” said the Secretary.
The steps are in the direction of the Centre’s initiative to identify 285 points under its ‘ease of doing business’ and ‘Make in India’ related reforms. Out of 285, as many as 97 are relating to labour, pollution, urban development and commercial taxes. Interestingly, Jharkhand has done marked improvement in granting NOC, consent to establish and consent to operate (CTE and CTO) from the JSPCB by making the process completely online. 58 types of industries have been exempted from taking any registration.
Also present on the occasion was land Revenue Secretary KK Soan who said that land banks have been formed at all levels. “We are ready with land banks and their details. The land seekers should approach the concerned DC offices or land Revenue Department. We also have lands for private universities and under CAMPA,” said Soan.
Rajiv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary at Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion with Ministry of Commerce and Industry at the Centre, underlined the vision of the Union Government. “India is ranked 142 of the World Bank list of countries of ease of doing business. With the launch of the initiative in 2014, we hope bring it down to 50 in the next few years. For that, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) have to be clearly laid out for every state all. All the states, including Jharkhand have taken steps in that direction,” he said.
Aggarwal also mentioned about scope in intellectual property rights in Jharkhand and added that the Centre was serious in safeguarding new ideas and help innovations in taking shape; the moot point behind entire ‘Make in India’ endeavour.