The Industries Department is responsible for the industrial development of a state, so as to attract domestic and foreign investment to give a boost to the industrial and social sectors of the State. In a bid to strengthen services and improve opportunities for entrepreneurs in Madhya Pradesh, Industries Commissioner V L Kantha Rao tells Vishwas Dass of Elets News Network (ENN) how the Government is striving to give an impetus to the State’s economy
What kind of IT initiatives have been undertaken in the Industries Department?
The Industries Department has been in the forefront of implementing IT-enabled services to improve overall experience of industrialists and investors in the State. We have made majority of approvals and facility requests online for the convenience of people across the State. We have also introduced online filing and tracking of ‘Intention to invest’ with dedicated relationship managers and implementation of single window system for investors that offers services such as online acknowledgement for entrepreneur memorandum, allocation of water, construction permission, land allotment, fiscal incentives, permission for manufacturing/ registration/ transfer/ inspection of boilers, power connections and approval to establish businesses.
Besides, we have also established online grievance handling mechanism, which addresses the investors’ grievances in 24 hours. If the grievance is unresolved, it automatically escalates to the concerned officer of the respective department. The grievance redressal mechanism of Industries Department is one of the best in the State. Efforts are also being made to make remaining approvals and service requests online that helps in saving time of the applicants.
The Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that people’s, particularly investors’, grievances are redressed to give an impetus to the State’s development.
The State Government has chosen seven cities under the Smart City project — Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Sagar, Jabalpur, Satna and Burhanpur, which shows that the Government has a very clear vision of transforming every city into a smart city
What is your vision for Madhya Pradesh in terms of the proposed Smart Cities project?
As we know that the State Government has chosen seven cities under the smart city project of the Union Government, namely Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Sagar, Jabalpur, Satna and Burhanpur, which shows that the Government has a very clear vision of transforming every city in MP into a smart city, having world class amenities for the citizens. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has already urged the Mayors to raise financial resources, improve revenue collection and strengthen quality of public amenities. The State Government on its part has launched action plans and projects for GIS Mapping, eMunicipal Corporation, improved sewage systems, housing for the poor, etc., which could help build smarter cities.
What are the challenges involved in transforming the Industries Department?
The key challenges we face include dearth of manpower, primarily at the district level, to keep pace with the technological advancements, training and upgrading the skills of our employees on a continuous basis and difficulties involved in acquisition of new land parcels. However, the Government is determined to overcome challenges and devise solutions to transform industries department.
The Industries Department acts as a catalyst to modernise and strengthen the industrial units of the State to make them globally competent. It requires skilled manpower.