Chhattisgarh which stands fourth among five States in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ rankings has although not made it to the ‘top five’ list of States on the subject of allotment of land and construction permits.
As per the assessment on State Implementation of Business Reforms by Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) on Ease of Doing Business, on the subject of allotment of land and construction permits, Madhya Pradesh tops with 72.73 per cent, Gujarat (72.41 per cent), Maharashtra (70.27 per cent), Rajasthan ( 63.64 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (62.16 per cent), the DIPP report mentioned.
Numerous studies cite access to land as a constraint faced by business in India, and the first step in solving this problem is to ensure access to information on the availability of land for business, it stated.
Many States have already established land banks parcels of Government owned land available for industrial use, which may or may not be organised as industrial estates to provide serviced land to investors however, this information is often not publicly available.
A necessary step would be to first list the number of land banks available in the State for industrial use, along with their respective areas, the report stated.
The list should be as comprehensive as possible, and should cover all the available land banks in the State. Second, this information should be made available online on an appropriate website so that it can even be an informational service provided by the single window, it stated.
Second, to ensure more effective investor enquiry, it would be useful to allow users to filter the data on land banks that is on the website by the type of industry that is permitted to be established on the land. This will allow entrepreneurs to more accurately target their inquiries to land banks that support their intended business.
States have comprehensive details of land banks available. However, only Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat , Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu score positively on both parameters, the report stated.
Providing such information on industrial land availability can also be evolved into a more modern system by using GIS maps. Such systems allow for a multitude of layers to be place upon geospatial maps to better understand the quality of the land available.
From an infrastructure perspective, the GIS system can provide information and details on road infrastructure, water pipelines, sewerage systems, electricity connections and gas pipelines that are available or accessible to each plot of land.
Gujarat is the only State that scores positively on both criteria above. Their GIS data is available publicly through a software download that provides detailed layered information on infrastructure availability across the entire State.
Providing such information on industrial land availability can also be evolved into a more modern system by using GIS maps. Such systems allow for a multitude of layers to be place upon geospatial maps to better understand the quality of the land available.
From an infrastructure perspective, the GIS system can provide information and details on road infrastructure, water pipelines, sewerage systems, electricity connections and gas pipelines that are available or accessible to each plot of land. This information should be as comprehensive as possible, covering all the land banks in the State.
Gujarat is the only State that scores positively on both criteria above. Their GIS data is available publicly through a software download that provides detailed layered information on infrastructure availability across the entire State.
In the domain of land allotment the report observed : ‘Once an entrepreneur has identified a plot of land which meets the requirements of his intended venture, he requires clarity on how he can access the land itself. Different States follow different principles in terms of allocating land: some use a first-come, first-serve model, while others use an objective-weighted criteria in evaluating investment proposals.’
Each State should however define the criteria used in defining land allocation clearly through a notification or legislation, and make this information available online.
Simultaneously, providing clarity on the timelines involved in deciding on applications will also enable entrepreneurs to plan effectively in terms of making investment decisions. This information should be notified through a notification or circular, and published in the public domain so that entrepreneurs are aware.
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu score positively on both parameters, it stated.
Similarly, providing clear timelines for processing applications related to conversion of land use can help investors plan their land purchase decisions effectively. This information should be notified through a notification or circular, and published in the public domain so that entrepreneurs are aware.
Sixteen States have notified clear timelines for change in land use processing.
Providing clear timelines for processing applications related to construction permit approval can help investors plan their construction effectively. This information should be notified through a notification or circular, and published in the public domain so that entrepreneurs are aware. If construction permits are integrated into the single window system, this information can be posted on the portal itself.
28 States and UTs have defined clear timelines for construction permitting.
Allowing applicants to upload building plans as part of their online application is but the first step in automated construction permit approval. Technology has today evolved to the point where a lot of the processing and review of building plans can also be processed using software. In particular, CAD systems can be developed that automatically scan building plans and monitor compliance with the building bye-laws and building codes in force.
Such automated systems greatly increase efficiency by allowing computer verification, and simultaneously reduce the risk of human error in the review of the plans.
This requires a system that allows applicants to upload building plans -these tend to be very large files, so the system should also include adequate storage space.
Second, the municipal corporation should incorporate the filters and restrictions into the CAD software on the server end so that they are automatically reviewed for compliance against the building code.
Similarly, for many large buildings, a variety of government agencies are involved in inspecting and clearing the construction, at all stages of the construction process. Integrating the multiple inspections into a single joint inspection through an Act, notification or rule can help integrate the various inspection requirements into a single comprehensive checklist, which allows for a single clearance for compliant buildings, or for the development of a comprehensive corrective plan of action if violations are detected.
AutoCAD based online verification of building plans is currently practiced in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Single or joint inspections are the norm in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal, the report stated.