ROLE OF WBIDC
AND SHILPABANDHU
By A Correspondent
The West Bengal
Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (WBIDC) is the prime State Government
Agency responsible for promotion of industrial and infrastructure investments
in the State. Over the years, the Corporation has developed core competency
in a varied spectrum of administrative and promotional roles. This has
placed it in an ideal position to catalyse investments in the context of
the efforts of the State Government to bring about rapid industrialisation
in the State. The Agency has obtained the required mandate of the Government
to implement changes, which would facilitate and expedite implementation
of new investments.After the new industrial policy of the Government of
West Bengal was announced in the month of September, 1994, over 3000 entrepreneurs
and industrial houses have contacted WBIDC and its much talked about single
window clearance cell called "Shilpabandhu."
The core competencies of WBIDC include:
Financing medium scale industries.
Providing escort services and facilitation
of investment proposals.
Promotion of joint sector and assisted
sector units in important industry segments.
Development of business, trade and
industrial links with foreign institutions and companies.
Conceptualisation of new projects
and entrepreneurship development.
Diversification of activities to
areas like merchant banking, venture capital, infrastructure and exports.
Management of state incentives to
medium and large scale Industries.
Dissemination of information to
highlight the brightening prospects of industrialisation in the State.
Shilpabandhu
Shilpabandhu, an extremely resourceful
single window Agency, was set up to expedite the process of growth in the
year 1984, which was reconstituted in 1994 by the Government with officers
of different departments at sufficiently senior levels who were vested
with the power to expedite decisions on the problems experienced by entrepreneurs
is setting up their units.The office of Shilpabandhu located on the 1st
Floor of WBIDC at 5, Council House Street, Calcutta-700 001 was formally
inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister on January 2, 1995.It extends
assistance to entrepreneurs in setting up medium and large-scale industries.
It co-ordinates the functions of different departments to procure the necessary
clearances and inputs for them.The agency's functions are manned by senior
officials from concerned departments, like The Directorate of Industries,
The Directorate of Commercial Taxes, State Pollution Control Board, Land
Revenue Department, Calcutta Telephones, WB Telecom, Food Processing Department
and State Electricity Board.A one-stop-shop unit, with computers maintaining
databanks and Internet facilities, Shilpabandhu has user-friendly packages
for investors, providing them with information, guidance, indentification
of key areas of investment and developmental assistance.
SERVICES OFFERED BY SHILPABANDHU
Clearances from the Foreign Investment
Promotion Board, New Delhi.
Clearances from the secretariat
for Industrial Assistance, New Delhi.
Clearances from the Pollution Control
Board.
All clearances related to power.
Clearances and assistance related
to Telecommunications.
Fiscal benefits including reduction
in sales Tax.
Identification and allotment of
land and infrastructural facilities assistance in mutation and conversion
of land.
Guidance to entrepreneurs on
investment prospects in more than 200 ready projects developed by WBIDC. |