Mamata outlines initiatives to help businesses grow faster in WB

Addressing business leaders at an interactive seminar, Business Made Easy: The Next Level, she said her government had consistently tried to simplify and speed up procedures that would benefit all businesspersons. From major industrial establishments to micro, small and medium scale enterprises, including food and agri-industries, all stand to benefit from the slew of initiatives started by the State Government, she said.
 

“Earlier, you had to spend quite some time visiting Government offices for any small work. Now, we have made many of the processes web-based and online which will certainly free you up,” the Chief Minister told businesspersons. 

 

“New policies, incentives and subsidies from the Government for designated priority sectors will definitely help you grow faster,” she added.
 

The occasion also saw the launch of a report “Doing Business In West Bengal: Faster Procedures, More Transparency”. 

 

It covers the initiatives of the departments of Finance, Municipal Affairs, Urban Development, Panchayat & Rural Development, Land & Land Reforms, Labour, Fire & Emergency Services, Environment, Power, Transport, Food Processing & Horticulture, Personnel & Administrative Reforms, Consumer Affairs, MSME & Textiles, Commerce & Industries.
 

The challenges of availability of all statutory information in public domain, introduction of web-based and online services, simplification of government procedures, ease of making application, cutting down unnecessary paper work and timely delivery of services have been addressed in the report.
 

An endeavour has been to make the process of setting up a business in the state and running it as easy as it can be. Simplification of the process of getting trade license, building plan sanction, delinking approvals from other departments that do not add value to decision making by the department concerned, faster and time-based mutation and conversion of land, replacing affidavits and gazetted officer attestation by self-declaration/attestation, appropriate delegation and decentralization have guided these initiatives. Necessary amendments in labour laws are also being undertaken.
 

Getting fire license, environment clearance, power connection etc have become easier and time-bound. The Right to Service Act of the State Government lays down a definite deadline to provide various services to citizens. The services covered under the Act are reviewed regularly and more and more services are being added to the list.
 

The whole range of tax administration has been made online. Single window system has been set up at Shilpa Sathi at WBIDC for large industries. 

 

MSMEs get the same facility through MSME Facilitation Centres (MFC) in districts. The MSME Department has also set up a Rs 200-crore Venture Capital Fund for MSMEs and has started organizing Finance Clinics in every district. Other Departments of the State Government too have taken many pioneering initiatives to implement Government’s policies with the objective of creating a conducive and business-friendly environment in the State.
 

Alok Roy, President of The Bengal Chamber, gave his reaction on Monday’s Town Hall meeting with the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
 

"It was an excellent session with a very positive message from the Hon’ble CM and the State Government on the ease of doing business in Bengal  by maintaining transparency and creating accountability through enhanced e-governance and process efficiency," said Alok Roy.