Pondy CM urges govt officials to adopt entrepreneur-friendly attitude

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday hit out at departments involved in granting permission or issuing licences to entrepreneurs from outside the union territory, for the delays in giving nod to their projects.There is difficulty for prospective entrepreneurs in getting power connection or approval of their plans as red-tapism is hindering development of Puducherry in the industrial sector, he said.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday hit out at departments involved in granting permission or issuing licenses to entrepreneurs from outside the union territory, for the delays in giving nod to their projects.

''There is a difficulty for prospective entrepreneurs in getting power connection or approval of their plans as red-tapism is hindering the development of Puducherry in the industrial sector,'' he said. Rangasamy was addressing a meeting of industrialists, exporters, and entrepreneurs at a week-long conclave and exhibition organized jointly by the Union Industries and Commerce Ministry and the territorial government here under the banner of 'Vanijya Saptah'. Further, the CM said the ''single window system should measure up to the expectations of the entrepreneurs.'' He said that in the past the industrial estates in Sedarapet and also in Mettupalayam near Puducherry were buzzing with industrial activity, but ''there was no such scenario now as most of the industries have left Puducherry.'' Rangasamy said he had several experiences to substantiate his criticism that the single window system had not measured up to the expectations of entrepreneurs. In this regard, he said a hotelier intending to construct an additional floor suffered as a result of the delay in getting approval.

He also recalled how with much difficulty a 750-acre site was acquired by the territorial government some 10 years ago for establishing a special economic zone and said the project was now gathering dust as it was not approved by the Centre. The Chief Minister said a 30-acre site in Mettupalayam acquired for an Information Technology park was also lying idle. He also spoke about the inordinate delay in getting power connection for entrepreneurs from outside the union territory and asked, ''should this condition continue how can our dream to get industrial entrepreneurs to set up units in Puducherry be realized?'' Rangasamy appealed to officials to change their attitude and ensure that their approach attracted entrepreneurs instead of making them diffident in setting up industries in the union territory.

Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan who earlier inaugurated the conclave and exhibition of exporters concurred with what the Chief Minister said on the situation faced by entrepreneurs. She said all facilities should be ensured and that there should be no red-tapism or loss of time. She said she had a dream on the industrialization of Puducherry and prepared a vision document for the rapid industrialization of the union territory. ''I submitted the document to the Prime Minister and Home Minister,'' she added.

Soundararajan also referred to the steps she and the government had taken for the expansion of the runway of the local airport with the cooperation of the neighboring Tamil Nadu government. ''Tourists and investors would make a beeline to Puducherry if the airport facility was available...,'' she said.

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