Ease of doing business: Goa government has just 40 days to implement 80 reforms

PANAJI: As part of the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) for 2019, the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) has outlined 80 reforms that Goa has to implement as part of a nation-wide exercise to improve the ease of doing business. The department of industries trade and commerce is the nodal agency and has been asked to coordinate with other including Goa, urging states to implement the reforms by February 28. Interestingly, DIPP has done away with the earlier practice of conducting the ease of doing business rankings based on compliance documents uploaded by the state government. This year, DIPP has sought feedback from industry bodies, private consultants deployed in state governments and users of government services.



Government departments struggle to make online shift

The reforms stipulated by DIPP can be broadly categorized under the following categories—transparency enablers, single-window systems, land records, land allotment for industry, environment compliance, construction enablers, labour regulations, taxation and contract enforcement.

One of the key reforms outlined by DIPP is the elimination of physical acceptance of documents for applications or registration.

DIPP wants state government departments to shift to an online mode, something that the Goa government is struggling with.

Departments such as the registrar of companies, legal metrology, municipal bodies, Goa Industrial Development Corporation, sub-registrar, Goa Pollution Control Board have been asked to “eliminate the need of physical touch-points for document submission and verification”.

Government officials pointed out that the cost to implement these reforms and the lack of manpower hinder the BRAP objectives.

“Bringing in a new or online system does not help because the people who use it are the same staff and even the common citizen is not ready for the change,” a bureaucrat said.

The registration department, which recently commenced online registration of property documents at the sub-registrar offices, has received several complaints including demands for the physical system to make a comeback.