Maharashtra: Committee formed to cut red tape for industrial permits

Mumbai: In order to boost industrial growth in Maharashtra, the state government has constituted a high- powered Cabinet sub-committee to reduce red tape for industrial permits.

As part of the 'Make in Maharashtra' campaign, the state government aims to attract investments by constituting a seven-member Cabinet sub-committee to simplify rules to get licenses to start businesses and make necessary amendments to the existing laws.

The sub-committee, to be headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, will include Industries Minister Subhash Desai, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya along with secretaries of the relevant departments.

"The Cabinet sub-committee formed to facilitate the 'Make in Maharashtra' campaign will hold at least one meeting every month or whenever required to work towards giving relevant licenses to startups while reducing the time frame to acquire relevant permissions," said a state government resolution issued recently.

The sub-committee has also been given the task of monitoring the status of licensing applications of industries and keeping a check on various departments whose clearances are required for starting of industries.

Digitising clearances needed by industries and taking a final decision on recommendations of the secretarial committee (headed by the Chief Secretary) will also be the responsibility of the Cabinet sub-committee.

The secretarial committee has been given the task of reviewing cases where a government department has not given clearances to industries within the specified period. If there is significant delay in giving clearance, it would immediately give the nod at its level. It would also recommend policy changes to the Cabinet sub-committee.

Currently, 76 permissions from various departments are required for starting an industry in the state and the government aims to bring it down to 25.