Setting up industry made simpler as Punjab launches Udyog Kranti initiative

After Sikhiya, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government on Tuesday launched Punjab Udyog Kranti.

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Touted as the first in the country and an industrial revolution, the initiative is aimed to simplify, reduce and expedite the statutory processes required to set up industry in the state. It will also end the red-tape and widespread corruption involved in the system, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal announced while switching on the Fastrack Punjab portal here.

The portal, which they also claimed to be the first in the country, will ensure all statutory permissions and compliances within a maximum of 45 days from the date of application.

"In case you don't get the permissions within 45 days, the portal will automatically issue you a deemed approval certificate on the 46th day, with which you can begin your industry," Kejriwal declared while addressing a gathering of industry and business leaders at a private university in Sector 82A this afternoon.

Kejriwal said in the cases of deemed approval, the government will launch internal investigation to find out which official and why the permissions and compliances were not issued within 45 days. "In all such cases, the officials found wanting will be taken to task after being asked to explain the reasons for the same," the AAP supremo said, while cautioning the state's bureaucracy against red-tape and corrupt practices.

He said all the applications moved on this portal will be closely examined at the Chief Minister's office and the Chief Secretary will personally keep a tab on all the cases to ensure that no unwarranted delay or inconvenience is caused to the investor/industrialist.

He announced that the investment proposals amounting to Rs 125 crore worth machinery and plant with land and construction cost taking the total capital investment to Rs 200 crore will require no permission to set up base in the state. "This is already provided in the Right to Business Act but nobody has yet taken benefit of it as the babus don't let anyone bypass their authority," Kejriwal said, while declaring that all such cases, if applied for on the portal, will be cleared and approved within three days.

He also announced exemption from approvals to site and building plans of the industries in the state. "We will issue a long list of government empanelled architects and civil engineers, who will be empowered to approve your site and building plans," he informed, while maintaining that the approval of site and building plans also involves red-tape and widespread corruption.

Kejriwal said this portal will be a real single window for applications and approvals to set up industry in the state. "Many states and governments keep claiming having single windows, but they are not practical at all," he alleged, while adding that the investors and industrialists will no longer be required to visit any office or meet any official for getting approvals in the state.

Both Mann and Kejriwal also made several other announcements to promote the industrial growth and investment avenues in the state.