Doing business in West Bengal is set to be much easier in terms of procedural formalities. As part of a reforms initiative, the State government is on its way to cut down procedural delays in clearing investment proposals from a little less than a year (317 days) to merely two months.

The first step in this direction has already been taken by reducing the number of forms or documents to be furnished for setting up large and medium scale industries. From as high as 14 forms of nearly 100 pages, investors are now asked to fill up only four forms containing a total of 15 pages.

Plans are afoot to reduce the entire procedure into one form of seven pages only, a senior West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) official told Business Line . The reduction is achieved mostly by way of avoiding repetition of information as well as removal of clauses far declared redundant by law.

“The initiative will pave way single-window and will reduce the turnaround time for start-ups,” Mr Debmalya Banerjee, co-chairman, Eastern Region Development Council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said.

To ensure better monitoring of the investment proposals, the prospective investors will soon be asked to submit an eight-point check-list along with their applications for setting up shop in the State. According to the State Commerce and Industries Minister, Mr Partha Chatterjee, the check-list will include a comprehensive DPR and study report of the project, the amount of investment and the phases in which such investments will be made, the date of financial closure, the date of completion of project, the number of people employed and their skill levels among others.

“The check-list will help us to keep tab on the progress of the project clearance; timely implementation and financial status of the project,” Mr Chatterjee said on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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