Centre to pilot e-Biz project in Odisha

Even as the State has faltered in the implementation of e-Governance through application of information technology, it has been selected as a pilot state by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for launching of e-Biz project.

 The objective of the project is to transform business environment by providing efficient, transparent and integrated electronics-based services to investors and industries all through the business cycle. The system will make the business environment more investor-friendly and citizen-centric.

 The proposed system will ease the business process by providing integrated services to entrepreneurs and businessmen through a single portal. The system will ease the cumbersome process of making multiple applications to multiple agencies and departments to get required clearances, official sources said.  On commissioning, the system will provide one-stop shop for all investment and business-related information and services 24x7 on a single portal. It will allow single payment to be made electronically against a composite application form for multiple services and reduce the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs in complying with various regulatory requirements.

 The portal will also create a platform for multi-departmental cooperation in data sharing, verification and service delivery, the sources said.

 It has been planned to integrate about 26 services, provided by different departments of the Central Government, and 24 services, provided by various agencies and departments of the State Government.

 The important Government services proposed to be included in the portal are VAT, CST and professional tax registration, approval of plans and licence from factories department, no objection certificate (NOC) from fire service wing, registration of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), firm registration, obtaining trade licence and payment of property tax.

 The citizen-centric services to be made available include water and sewerage connection, site permission from urban local bodies, NOC from pollution control board and power connection.

 Central Government agencies like Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, Ministry of Company Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation and Reserve Bank of India are also proposed to be integrated into the portal. This pilot project will be funded by the Centre.

 The State Government will have to make budgetary provisions for inclusion of additional public services in the portal. Infosys has been selected for developing the software and other technical inputs for online rollout of the portal.

 The issue was discussed at a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary BK Patnaik here on Monday. He advised the IT Department to examine all the technical details of the proposal in the context of Odisha and put the proposal for approval of the State Government.

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