Post News Network
Bhubaneswar June 1: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday directed officials to focus their efforts on making Orissa one of the easiest places to do business in the country.
Chairing a meeting on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ here at Secretariat, Patnaik advised doing away with old and redundant procedures, simplifying regulatory mechanisms and synchronising multiple inspections.
“We must learn the best practices across the world and stay abreast of the times,” the CM said, emphasising on the need to work in an atmosphere of trust.
He suggested officers to leverage the benefits of technology, and provide clearances in a transparent, hassle-free and time-bound manner.
While the industries department is working with other departments to bring about regulatory reforms and simplified procedures, the CM directed officers of all concerned departments to put forth proposals in the next Cabinet meeting, in case any regulatory reform needs Cabinet approval.
It was revealed in the meeting that the department of water resources, State Pollution Control Board, home department and the labour and ESI department have made significant improvements in developing e-biz, which have electronic mechanisms for clearances, payments and approvals.
As per the decisions taken in the meeting, an online payment of and return for entertainment tax will be implemented by June 30. The commercial tax department has been asked to issue approval certificates online in the form of digitally signed documents by June 30 and conducting of inspection as part of obtaining electric connection will be done away with by June 30.
The PCB will introduce provision of online returns for various pollution related acts through a common application. IPICOL will soon release a notification to provide clear timelines for addressing investor grievances.
It is also learnt that data at the sub-registrar’s office and land record offices has been digitised. Municipality land records will be digitised and will be integrated into the data of the sub-registrar’s office and land record offices.
A central inspection agency will be set up soon which will be responsible for various inspections.
The meeting was attended by revenue minister Bijayshree Routray, urban development minister Pushpendra Singh Deo, and labour and ESI minister Prafulla Mallick among others.