THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though the state government has launched the K-SWIFT software with a view of improving the rank of Kerala in the ease of doing business index a month ago, the business community in the state is yet to respond or benefit from the new single-window facility. Moreover, the new facility is yet to be fully streamlined suiting the requirements of the industry in the state.
According to sources in KSIDC, as many as 112 applications were received through the new system so far, of which around 80 applications were submitted for test purpose. The status of the remaining applications is yet to be made public by KSIDC, which is a nodal agency for implementing the project.Speaking to Express, K Elangovan, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, said it will take one more month to streamline the newly launched system incorporating the new changes suggested by the industry. For instance, there is no specific facility for renewing the existing licences of the entrepreneurs. The K-SWIFT is now mainly dealing with the new entrants in the sector, and arranging a facility for renewing the existing licences of the industrialists is mandatory.
At present, there is no provision for connecting the applications or the software with the GST network which is also another important factor required while processing the applications of multi-purpose business community. Soon after these shortcomings were brought to the notice of the officials, the NIC was told to address the issues. It is expected the NIC would incorporate the new facilities demanded by the industry and launch the new features by this month end.
However, it will take one more month to come up with a full-fledged system suiting the requirements of the industry, he said. After much dilly-dallying, the K-SWIFT online mechanism, which ensures clearance to proposals within 30 days of application, was officially launched on February 11. Similarly, though the K-SWIFT, which offers a unified application for securing permits from various departments through a single gateway, was commercially rolled out, IBPMS, which accepts new building permit applications through the system, is yet to be integrated with the new online mechanism.
S N Raghuchandran Nair, president, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce, said though the new system was launched, the industry is yet to benefit from it. The industry will benefit only if human intervention is reduced in the processing of applications. The new facility offers a lot for path-breaking changes in industrial atmosphere of the state, but the bureaucracy is yet to rise or come up to the expectation of the industry, he said.