MP approves early clearances for industries  

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to ensure time-bound clearance of applications for diverse services to boost industrial investment.

Depending on the service, a period of either seven or 15 working days has been fixed. The legislation will cover services like trade license, land development permission, electricity connection, broiler registration and consent under Water Act, 1974, and Air Act, 1981.

If a department concerned fails to give permission within that period, the application will be deemed to have been sanctioned. After an applicant gets "deemed permission", official responsible for not clearing the application could be penalised under the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Guarantee Act, 2010.

According to the draft legislation, there will be just one inspection in units that don't report any violation in two years.

Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to take this decision to boost industrial investment.

Public Relations Minister PC Sharma said, the draft of the bill was approved in the cabinet meeting. Industry groups or individuals investing in industry, small scale industry, information technology (IT) and tourism sector will get this facility.

The state government will also include in the future the provisions related to issuing other permissions or licenses within the time limit. It has also been decided to provide electricity to the industries at a cheaper rate.

The bill will be introduced in the budget session of the Legislative Assembly starting next month and it will be passed and given the shape of the Act. Accordingly, 'Invest Portal' will also be upgraded.

The Kamal Nath cabinet has approved the film tourism policy. The government will give special concession for shooting 50 percent of the film in the state. And if the film gives an opportunity to local actors, then the producer will also be given a subsidy of up to 1 crore rupees.

The Cabinet could not approve the new excise policy that allows the current liquors vends to have sub-outlets to expand the area of their coverage. The opposition had criticised the government for diluting the policy to serve vested interests and corrupting the system. Many ministers opposed the decision to dilute the policy and forced a deferment.

The Cabinet also decided the government will pay the dues of workers of Vinod mill in Ujjain which was shut down many years ago. The amount will be given to the workers by auctioning nearly 20 acres of the mill land.

The Film Tourism Policy has been approved. The government will give a grant for the shooting of films. If 75 per cent of a film is shot in Madhya Pradesh the subsidy amount will be increased.

Among other decisions an airport will be developed at Singrauli, the hub thermal power generation.
-IANS