Investors Should Not Be Asked to Run to Any Office Physically for Getting Any Clearance: Chief Secretary

Bhubaneswar: With the applaud of “Top Performer” and ‘Lead Investment Destination’ during the year 2020, Government of Odisha in Industry department is now on the path towards transforming its single window clearance authority (SWCA) system to the next higher level. This was known from a high level meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra in Lokseva Bhawan conference hall wherein Principal Secretary Industry Hemanta Kumar Sharma outlined different facets and rationale of the proposed newer version.

Considering the proposals, Chief Secretary Mohapatra directed to “make the new version more comprehensive and gratifying for the investors with end to end system form receipt of the application to delivery of all services”.

Mohapatra made it clear that the “investors should not be asked to run to any office physically for getting any clearance”.

He also directed all concerned departments to “designate a nodal officer for coordinating with IPICOL in development of the new online version”.

Further, Chief Secretary directed to “revamp the district level single window authorities with more professionalism and accountability”. He advised to put in place a district level industry facilitation authority with enhanced role of the Collectors.

He also directed to “converge the promotional activities of MS&ME, handloom, handicraft, textile and manufacturing units with district industries centers (DICs)”. The personnel in DICs were directed to handhold the entrepreneurs in getting various approvals and certificates from different offices.

Presenting details of details of the new version, Principal Secretary Sharma said that it would be more comprehensive covering all phases of activities required up to starting of production in an industry viz. in principle approval, land allotment, land possession, approvals for starting the construction and approvals for commencing the operations. The investors would submit all applications at one time through GO-SWIFT portal. It would have single payment gateway for different kinds of fees and Government dues. The concerned departments would raise all queries, if any, in one go within seven days of the submission of application by the entrepreneur. The departments would be under obligation to adhere to the scheduled timelines for according approvals, granting licenses and issuing certificates online through the same portal.
Managing Director IPICOL Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said, “The new version will have an inbuilt system of ‘deemed approval’ after expiry of the maximum time limit for requested service or approval”. Chief Secretary Mohapatra directed to complete development of the portal in all respects along with its dry run by end of March.

It may be pertinent here to mention that GO-SWIFT portal of Odisha was conferred national e-Governance Silver Award in the year 2020 for excellence in process re-engineering and digital transformation. Both the large investors and local MSME entrepreneurs have expressed hope that the new version would make their operations more simple and easy.

Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment Dr Mona Sharma, Principal Secretary Energy Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Chairman and Managing Director IDCO Sanjay Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary Tourism Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary Sashikanta Mishra, Secretary Electronics and Information Technology Manoj Kumar Mishra, along with senior officers from concerned departments participated in discussion.