Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Oct 18: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday said more reforms would be ushered in Orissa so that the state is ranked among the country’s top three on ‘ease of doing business’.
In a bid to attract more investments to the state, the Chief Minister directed all concerned departments to make all out efforts to move to top three ranks by bringing in more economic reforms.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the secretariat here, Patnaik instructed all concerned departments to ensure implementation of pending reforms by December 2015 and complete the next phase of reforms by February 2016.
‘‘I would like our state to be ranked amongst the top three states in the country with respect to ease of doing business. All concerned departments must learn from the good practices implemented by other states and expedite implementation of reforms,’’ he said.
The CM directed Chief Secretary GC Pati to monitor the implementation and status of reforms on a monthly basis, and the progress report should be sent to his office so that he would personally review the progress every two months, said CMO sources. Focusing on the ground level implementation, Patnaik said, “It is important that these reforms are not just made on paper but also implemented by all concerned in true spirit. Industries department should carry out a third-party assessment to ascertain the quality of implementation in the field.”
In September last, Orissa was ranked No.7 with 52.12 points in the ease of doing business among 32 states and union territories. In January this year, the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) had shared 98 action points for business reforms to enable ease of doing business.
Sources said that now there are 344 action points drafted for next phase of reforms and the state has performed relatively better in setting up business, allotment of land and obtaining construction permits, complying with environment procedure, tax procedures and carrying out inspections.
Industry secretary Sanjeev Chopra highlighted the next phase of reforms requirements for the state.
Commercial tax, energy, labour department, housing and urban development, industries, revenue and disaster management and law departments along with pollution control board were asked to complete the next phase of reforms as early as possible. Revenue and disaster management minister Bijayshree Routray, industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra, steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallik, housing and urban development minister Pushpendra Singh Deo, law minister Arun Kumar Sahoo and energy minister Pranab Prakash Das were among those present at the meeting.