The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to introduce an online system at the panchayat level for issuing registration certificates or trade licenses.

The shift to the online system to carry out any commercial activity in panchayat areas is part of an attempt to improve ease of doing business in the state.

On Thursday, the state panchayat and rural development department issued an order, mentioning that from now on, such certificates would be issued online and on a real time mode.

“Under the new system, new registration certificates as well renewal of old certificates would be issued from panchayat offices immediately after online submission of application and payment of necessary fees. Those would be generated by the system and no physical signature would be required for it,” said a source in the department.

The decision, which will come into effect from November 4 according to the order, is aimed at encouraging commercial activities across Bengal so that jobs are created even in remote areas.

Ahead of the Assembly polls, the chief minister had time and again promised that 1.5 crore jobs would be created in the next five years.

"Hasslefree dealings with the government will encourage youths to come forward and set up their ventures even in rural areas... And if small commercial ventures come up in rural areas, it will generate employment for local people... That in turn will ease the pressure on big cities like Calcutta as unemployed people tend to migrate from rural areas to urban areas in search of jobs," said a senior government official.

This is the reason why the state government has recently relaxed criteria for setting up of private industrial parks and announced incentives for them.

“The state is focusing on small industries which are labour intensive to create more jobs,” said a source.

In the order, the process of application has also been simplified. Earlier, any applicant, for a new certificate or for renewal of his existing certificate, had to submit a series of documents at the panchayat office.

“However, from now on, the applicant will have to submit only two documents, an identity proof and another document which would prove occupancy or ownership of his business address would be required. Added to it, the applicant will have to submit a declaration that he has obtained certificates of statutory compliances from appropriate authorities. This would largely expedite the process of issuing new certificates from the panchayat offices,” said a state government official.

Among the statutory compliances include certificates from different departments and agencies like fire services, pollution control board, excise, customs, RBI and SEBI.

In the order, it has also been mentioned that not a single registration certificate would be issued offline by any panchayat. The certificates issued online will be valid for three years.

Representatives of trade bodies, who have time and again mentioned that it takes time to get the certificate which in many occasions discourages a private entrepreneur from making investments, have lauded the decision.

“It is an important move that can boost private investment in rural areas. In towns and cities, there is not much space left to open industrial units. Now that the process has been made online at the panchayat level, we expect it would bring fresh investments in the MSME sector across north Bengal and in the state as a whole,” said Sanjay Tibrewal, chairman of the NB zonal council of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Additional reporting by Pranesh Sarkar in Calcutta