Fighting an anti-industry image ever since she came to power on the back of a violent protest against the Tatas, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been trying to make transparency a major plank of governance so as to bring in capital.
After her party scored a major victory in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and the Assembly elections in 2011, she stood firm against forcible land acquisition by industry.
This, coupled with her action against some top industrialists after the AMRI Hospital fire, has dented the industry’s confidence. Many saw in the events the early days of the Left rule when capital fled from the State.
Ms. Banerjee is keen on changing the situation without altering her government’s Ma-Mati-Manush (Mother-Earth-People) image. As ease of business is the theme of governments across the country, she is keen on projecting a business-friendly image.
Ahead of her plan to take a business delegation to London next month, Ms. Banerjee on Monday held a meeting and announced measures to speed up procedures. These included exempting certain industries from environmental clearance, scrapping the need for land conversion in industrial parks, extended time of operation of shops and establishments (crucial for malls), reducing documentation for various clearances, time-bound delivery of services and online applications. Significantly, the new guidelines mentioned that only one union would be allowed at a unit.
Large industries have welcomed the initiatives. Sumit Mazumder, president, CII, who attended the meeting, said the measures were path-breaking.
Alok Roy, president of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said e-governance initiatives unveiled by the government would promote efficiency and accountability.
However, the medium, small and micro enterprise sector is circumspect, though Mr. Mazumdar said the decision to launch MSME facilitation centres in each district would benefit this sector.
The phenomenon of syndicates (gangs with political patronage trying to influence hiring of contract labour and buying building materials through extortion) looms over small businesses, which say ground realties are out of sync with lofty ideals like ease of doing business.
In a state where dissent is not tolerated, none is willing to voice their concern. But behind closed doors they rue that little has changed on the ground as they continue to face problems in land conversion, registration and receipt of incentives.
The need for land conversion in industrial parks has been scrapped and only one union per unit is permitted
