The Government of West Bengal has selected AxpertTM Rapid Application Development Platform from Agile Labs (http://www.agile-labs.com) for creating a revamped Online Single Window Portal (OSWP) for improving the Ease of Doing Business in the State.

Investors and businesses may need multiple approvals from multiple departments for starting or operating a business. The online single window will have to provide the following functionalities:

1. Single dynamic composite application form (CAF) for multiple services allowing an investor or a business to fill up one form for multiple clearances and approvals;
2. Single Online Payment for multiple services through an integrated payment gateway with all modes of payment viz., debit card/ credit card/ net banking enabled;
3. Breaking the Composite Application Forms electronically into individual forms and sending the forms to the backend systems of various Departments electronically along with the corresponding proof of payment;
4. Online tracking of status of applications while they are being processed by various Departments;
5. Online communication of approval; and
6. Downloading of approvals/ NoCs/ permits/ clearances etc. online.

The Kerala Cabinet has decided to pilot a Kerala Investment Promotion and Facilitation Act with a view to improving the state’s ranking with respect to ‘ease of doing business.’This is among a series of steps being contemplated to rationalise rules and ease up on procedures to make clearances easy and facilitate industrial investments.

Thorough reviewAccordingly, the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act, the Kerala Municipalities Act, building rules, and  host of other Acts and rules relevant to granting clearances will be subjected to through review. The single window clearance system would be strengthened and made more effective. An investment promotion and facilitation centre comprising officers of various departments, agencies and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, will be constituted. District-level committees will also be formed under the district collector and comprising officials of various departments. The Cabinet also accepted a recommendation to make available a single form for applying for clearances from various departments.

NEW DELHI: The government wants to rid the country of the 'inspector raj' in the next edition of reforms that states must undertake to help improve their ease of doing business rankings. States have been asked to completely overhaul their inspection regimes, including creation of a central inspection agency for all departments such as environment, labour and income tax. 
The industry department has drawn up a detailed plan, taking cues from countries such as Armenia, Dominica, Mexico, Moldova, Liberia, Kyrgyzstan and the Netherlands, which have similar systems in place. 

"If we can do away with unnecessary inspections it will be a game-changer for the industry. It is the biggest grouse of businesses," a senior government official said. 
The central agency will conduct a risk assessment for each company to decide if an inspection is required or self certification would suffice. It will be required to inform in advance of the inspection and submit a report within 24 hours to the competent authority. 

Taking yet another important step towards contributing to and promoting Digital India and Ease of Doing Business, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Anil Madhav Dave, launched the online filing of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) applications through videoconferencing, here today. Emphasising that the meaning of good governance lies in making processes transparent, Shri Dave said that the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, inspires everyone to embrace E-governance. The Environment Minister expressed the hope that E-governance will be made 100% operational in the near future and all the processes of the Ministry will be made fully transparent.

Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ajay Narayan Jha, said that digital technology must be accessed not only to promote Ease of Doing Business, but also to facilitate transactions for the general public. Shri Jha expressed the hope that NBA will put all the other processes in a digital format, so that the people who used these services are served in a better manner.

NEW DELHI: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is a key economic reform that will facilitate the ease of doing business, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said today. The Minister of State for Finance inaugurated the new premises of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) here.  The code provides for a market determined, time-bound mechanism for orderly resolution of insolvency, wherever possible, and ease of exit, wherever required. 

Meghwal said the code is a key economic reform that would facilitate ease of doing business and promote economic growth. A regulator is duty bound to guide and steer the market forces in the right direction, and not be intrusive, Meghwal was quoted as saying in an official release. IBBI Chairperson M S Sahoo said the board is a unique regulator, which combines the role of a regulator of profession as well as of transactions. 

The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation will focus on ease of doing business in the State in the coming days, its Chairman Christy Fernandez has said. Speaking after launching ProgonoAdvisor.com a digital financial advisor, Mr. Fernandez said that the KSIDC was trying to create a favourable eco system for startups. 

So far, the KSIDC had functioned as an agency to provide finance to entrepreneurs but now on, the focus would be on ease of doing business, he said. A statement here said that the KSIDC in its new role would handhold new units and equip them to meet challenges.

NEW DELHI: The Modi-led government has written to Chief Justice of India J S Khehar seeking expeditious adjudication of commercial disputes, necessary to improve India's global standing in ease of doing business. In a letter to the CJI, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the apex court could provide necessary guidance to lower courts and prohibit unnecessary adjournments besides directing them to serve summons electronically.

"The Supreme Court can provide the necessary leadership for proper implementation of the existing provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to grant of adjournment, adherence to timelines and electronic filing and electronic service of summons in 71 city courts -11 in Delhi and 60 in Mumbai immediately," the letter said.

NEW DELHI, MARCH 22: The government plans to set up a single window online system for providing all information and services related to international trade. The plan is to provide importers and exporters the facility to submit applications and clearance documents as well as obtaining approvals and benefits electronically at a single point only in a digital mode. In case some permissions are required from other regulatory agencies, they would be obtained online without traders having to approach them.

The move is aimed at promoting ease of doing business and improving India’s ranking. It will eliminate multiple interface with government agencies, dwell time, track goods/delivery from door to door and the cost of doing business, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said while floating a request for proposal. The RFP is for ‘A Detailed Project Report On Setting Up Of/Migrating To A Fully Integrated Single Window Online System For International Trade’