With the Centre linking reform parameters to the additional borrowing limit of States, the Congress government in Rajasthan has decided to speed up the ease of doing business (EoDB) measures. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will monitor the progress of EoDB parameters in the State with the identification of focus areas.
Chief Secretary D.B. Gupta said here on Thursday that Mr. Gehlot would preside over meetings every month to ensure time-bound implementation of all the EoDB measures. The business-related government processes will be made accessible online and rendered free of any physical contact in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Gupta said that ensuring the achievement of EoDB goals was the need of the hour, while the responsibilities would be fixed and core areas pinpointed in the schedule to meet the targets. The State government will convene monthly meetings with the Secretaries of the departments concerned as well as the nodal officers.
Additional borrowing
The Union government has linked the implementation of EoDB parameters with the States’ additional borrowing limit, which has been established at 2% of the respective Gross State Domestic Product. Mr. Gupta said that 1% of Rajasthan’s GSDP amounted between ₹10,000 crore and ₹11,000 crore.
The States are expected to comply with the directives till January 2021. Rajasthan proposes to create a centralised portal at the State level to help the districts implement the business reforms under the guidelines. The portal will also have a provision for the future requirements, as the Centre keeps amending the EoDB criteria.
Mr. Gupta has given instructions to the related departments to enhance coordination with the Department of Information Technology for the purpose. He said the guidelines would be implemented under the supervision of State Industries Commissioner Muktanand Agarwal, who was the nodal office for implementation of EoDB.
The State government will take into consideration the feedack of users while evaluating the implementation of EoDB parameters in order to determine that the reforms have been adopted to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.