Investors should not be asked to go to any office physically for getting clearance: Odisha chief secy

Encouraged by investmentproposals worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore during the pandemic, Odishagovernment on Friday asked authorities to ensure thatinvestors are not asked to run to any office physically forgetting clearance.

The direction was issued by Chief Secretary S CMohapatra while reviewing the progress in taking the SingleWindow Clearance Authority (SWCA) to the next level.

The senior official directed the departments concernedto designate a nodal officer for coordinating with IPICOL(Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of OdishaLtd) for developing a new online version.

Officials were asked to complete development of thenew portal in all respects along with its dry run by end ofMarch.

The chief secretary also asked officials to revamp thedistrict level single window authorities with moreprofessionalism and accountability.

He advised them to put in place a district levelindustry facilitation authority with enhanced role ofcollectors.

''Converge the promotional activities of MSME,handloom, handicraft, textile and manufacturing units withdistrict industries centres (DICs),'' he said.

Personnel in DICs were directed to help entrepreneursin getting approvals and certificates from different offices.

On the new version of the SWCA, the chief secretarydirected the officials to make the new version morecomprehensive and gratifying for the investors with anend-to-end system, from receipt of an application to deliveryof all services.

Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said, the newversion of the SWCA would be more comprehensive covering allphases of activities required for starting production in anindustry.

The investors would submit all applications at onetime through GO-SWIFT portal. It would have a single paymentgateway for different kinds of fees and government dues, hesaid.

The departments concerned would raise all queries, ifany, in one go within seven days of the submission ofapplication by the entrepreneur. The departments would beunder obligation to adhere to the scheduled timelines foraccording approvals, granting licenses and issuingcertificates online through the same portal, the officialsaid.

The state has attracted an investment of around Rs1.25 lakh crore from February, 2020, Sharma said.

The GO-SWIFT portal of Odisha was conferred national-Governance Silver Award in 2020 for excellence in processre-engineering and digital transformation.