One of the key reforms undertaken by the State Government to improve the investment climate is to facilitate and guide the investors proposing to set up industrial units in the State. To strengthen the investor facilitation, the Government has constituted dedicated Investor Facilitation Cells at the State and District levels. The Facilitation Cell at the State level functions from IPICOL where members from other Departments concerning various approvals/clearances have been deployed on full time basis with appropriate delegation of powers. Similar Facilitation Cells have been set up at the district level.
The key objective of the Facilitation Cells is to guide the investors, assess the project proposals and follow up for timely approvals for establishment & operation of the units. The Facilitation Cells aim to provide focused attention in actualizing the investments on the ground through a “one stop” facilitation process.
The state level Facilitation Cell, chaired by the CMD ( a senior all India services officer) is created at Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL), the investment promotion and state level nodal agency for single window approvals for investment of more than Rs. 50 Cr (approx US$ 8 million). A key reform brought in by the state government to facilitate timely approvals is to set up an exclusive facilitation cell at IPICOL by deputing senior officials from line departments on a full time basis with delegation of appropriate authority to process industrial approvals. A member from the industry is also nominated to the facilitation cell to handhold & mentor prospective entrepreneurs and presents the view points of the industry. The Investor Facilitation Cell shall also meet prospective investors every week to mentor and guide them.
At the District Level, the facilitation Cell is set up at the respective District Industries Centres (DICs) chaired by the General Manager and manned by officers of line departments with appropriate delegation. An industry representative will also form part of district level facilitation cell.
The various functions carried out by the Investment Facilitation Cell are:
