KOLLAM: IN a move aimed at improving the ease of doing business in the state, the government proposes to introduce intelligent online building plan verification software. While accepting the proposal mooted by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), the government observes the idea would make the building plan approval procedures more transparent and less time consuming.
According to sources, in the first phase 93 urban local bodies will be included in the project and for overseeing the implementation of the same the government has designated Urban Affairs director Haritha V Kumar as its nodal officer.
“A proposal of this kind was mooted by the KSIDC in its ‘Study to Reform Existing Rules and Acts Related to Ease of Doing Business in Kerala’.“The report says though the state is aplenty with resources it has not been able to attract major investments or potential entrepreneurs. The business environment is not at all conducive and the reasons were varying. One such reason is the delay in obtaining clearances from various departments.
“It is in such a scenario that the idea of an intelligent online building plan verification and approval application was mooted. With such a system in place efficient and transparent processing of application could be ensured,” said a top official with the Industries Department.
According to the official, a committee comprising Additional Chief Secretary for Industries and Commerce Paul Antony while analysing the various programmes practised by neighbouring states for attracting business ventures had stressed the need for a faster approval for buildings plans for industrial projects.
Once this online single window system is on, the building plan approval for industrial projects will be made easier.
The online submission, payments, tracking of status, approvals and issuance of the certificate could be made through this single portal, the officer said.
Meanwhile it has been found in the Draft Industrial and Commercial Policy - 2017, published by the Department of Industries and Commerce in June it has been stated ‘Kerala will be transformed into a vibrant investment destination and made one of the top 10 ranking states in the country as far as ease of doing business is concerned.’
It also proposes various novel initiatives like a time bound schedule with maximum time limit of 30 working days for clearances, establishment of a dedicated physical office and an online clearance mechanism, introduction of a common web portal for all the clearances required which shall be linked to all relevant departments/agencies, converting this common web portal as a single point to receive all applications, incorporating a dedicated online payment system to the web portal linking the same to the State Treasury and other nationalised banks and others.
Earlier, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry) in its ‘State Business Reform Action Plan - Implementation Guide for States’ had stressed the need for design and development of an online single window system for processing the requests and permission.
The online submission, payments, tracking of status, approvals and issuance of the certificate could be made through the single portal.
It has been found in the Draft Industrial and Commercial Policy - 2017, published by the Department of Industries and Commerce in June it has been stated ‘Kerala will be transformed into a vibrant investment destination and made one of the top 10 ranking states in the country as far as ease of doing business is concerned.’