GoI pats Punjab for implementing 'single window mechanism' to give boost to the economic development

Chandigarh, June 25, 2014: In recognition of the path breaking initiatives taken by the Punjab government for giving fillip to the economic development of the state, the Government of India (GoI) has adjudged Punjab as one of best state for implementing 'Single Window Mechanism' to promote industrialisation in the state.

In a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has lauded this pro-industrial practice being followed in the state.

The Union Minister has responded in the backdrop of the World Bank's Doing Business 2014 Report, which benchmarks the regulations affecting the establishment and operations of business across the world. This report has placed India on 134thrank out of the 189 countries. Similarly the Global competitiveness Report 2013-14 of the World Economic Forum has placed India at the 60th rank out of the 148. The study emphasizes that India must press ahead with the structural reforms required to ensure that it was able to provide an investor friendly Business environment.

Likewise, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has taken various steps in the direction of 'Improving the Business Environment' in India through key transformational initiatives. The department has also conducted a study to indentify six select best practices followed across the country and 'Single Window Mechanism' started by the Punjab government being one of them.

The Union Minister has also informed Badal that going forward as a part of its endeavor to improve the doing business scenario in the country, the DIPP would identify and rank states excelling in the implementation of the best practices every year and give away 'Business Environment Improvement' awards to them. Likewise, the Union government would also sponsor selected officers for short duration Management Development Program (MDP) at Harvard University, Oxford University or London School of Economics. "We will appreciate if all the states/ UTs partner with DIPP in taking these initiatives forward to ease the business regulatory environment in the country" added Sitharaman.  

It may be recalled that six best practices identified by DIPP include "Integrated and Comprehensive System for Managing Indirect Taxes" in Karnataka, 'Labour Management Solution (LMS)' by Maharashtra, "Single Window Clearance (SWC) for Industries- MAITRI by Maharashtra, "Land Related Interventions in Gujarat", 'Implementation of e-Governance' in pollution in Gujarat and Single Window Clearance Mechanism in Rajasthan and Punjab.