Unified Regulator and Single Window – Invest Punjab

Complete State

Businesses were dependent on various departments for regulatory clearances and had multiple physical touchpoints, multiple documents with need for multiple sharing. This led to delays in the processing of approvals from the Government and uncertainty for businesses. To address this, businesses needed consolidated, updated and easily available online information, which is one of the reform areas under the Business Reform Action Plan. Departments were working in silos and were unaware of ongoings of other departments, making it difficult to engage with all these departments simultaneously. Effective stakeholder consultation mechanisms were missing.

Centralisation of regulatory framework under one roof backed by a Single Window System – to create one-stop-office.

• One-stop-Office which reduces and/or eliminates need for a physical touch point adds to the overall conducive business environment.
• Single Window Systems when implemented, assist service seekers in obtaining all the applicable approvals for businesses, track the same, make necessary payment, download certificates, etc. though a digital end-to-end interface.
• Single Window System along with powers of a unified regulator established one point contact for any investor in the State from conceptualization to commissioning and aftercare.
• Professionals who worked as Dedicated Relationship Managers to handhold Investors by way of facilitation.

• The Government of Punjab strengthened the legal constitution of the institution by enacting The Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion Act, 2016 which made Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion an implementing agency of the State.
• The Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion Act, 2016 empowers the CEO of the Bureau to exercise powers of the departments of the Government of Punjab as devolved upon it under their respective rules.
• Study of rules, bylaws, timelines and processes of various departments was carried out and processes were re-engineered as required to fit the project needs.
• Invest Punjab Business First Portal has been developed as a single window system in the state providing all regulatory clearances, services and fiscal incentives to businesses from a single digital governance platform.
• As the nodal agency, the Bureau has also been entrusted with the responsibility to market Punjab as an ideal investment destination and to organize State level mega Investment Summits.

• As bringing powers of various departments under one roof was anticipated as waning of powers of respective administrative departments/authorities, onboarding of all internal stakeholders was a tedious task. 
• Being a new idea, this had a natural resistance from various stakeholders. 
• Digitisation of processes, forms, documents, approvals, certifications etc. across multiple departments was a huge task

• Strong political will and commitment from leadership made the onboarding of internal stakeholders and approval from Cabinet possible.
• Well received support from various departments through their nodal officers posted in Bureau.
• Industry consultations through Industry associations and their positive feedback reassured the fact that the solutions being developed and extended to industry are in right direction.
• Extensive discussions and Stakeholder consultation proved to be a very effective method to curb the resistance.
• Engagement of professionals and subject matter experts for Project Management.
• Resorting to digital alternatives and solutions of existing processes.

• Regular monitoring through weekly Bureau Review meetings chaired by Senior Leadership of the Bureau.
• Subsequently, various reforms were taken which further strengthened the project idea. For e.g. Transfer of power from Dept. of Housing to Dept of Factories regarding Building Plan Approval of Industries.
• Representatives of departments under single roof meant that physical barrier of movement of files or information is non-existent.
• Teams were designed in such a way that it has a good blend of government officials and professionals.
• Statutory backing by an Act provided stability to the Institution and its processes.
• Inclusive participation of all departments led to a change in perspective and encouraged collaborative work culture.
• User friendly technology helped reduce human interventions.

• An end-to-end online single window system, reducing the need to visit multiple departmental websites and offices.
• Streamlined and reduced submission of same information multiple times to multiple agencies.
• Eliminated physical touchpoints with the departments for Industries seeking regulatory clearances and services from Government.
• Project timelines from conceptualization to commissioning were reduced.
• Achieved transparency through real time monitoring of processes involved in regulatory clearances and services.
• Reduction in costs and time in obtaining services and clearances from Government.
• Applicable to New and Existing Industries of all sizes.
• State Single Window System enabled integration with National Single Window System

• 120+ clearances and services, 36 fiscal incentives approvals brought under ambit of Invest Punjab Business First Single Window Portal.
• 1,08,900* clearances/services have been granted through the portal.
  1532* applications for fiscal incentives have been processed through online mechanism.
• 90% clearances provided within stipulated timelines.
• 6000+ investment projects with proposed investment of more than Rs. 1.4 lakh crores and potential employment of 6 lakh+ received through Invest Punjab Business First Portal**
  *upto 28th Feb 2023
  **Nov 2018- Feb 2023

At its current scale of operations, the Single Window System and Unified regulator is applicable to all upcoming investment projects and existing industrial units in the State:

• Being modular in nature, this can be adopted and replicated by other States/UTs for State level regulatory clearances and services.
• As the module was developed by NIC Team in Punjab, it’s implementation in other States/UTs/Ministries can be done with ease due to presence of NIC teams in other Government offices as well.
• It can be further integrated with databases such as PAN, AADHAR etc.

• Gaps arising out of department working in silos could be reduced by cross departmental capacity building initiative for government officials.
• Synergies among different departments were gauged.
• Acceptance level of digital processes and technology was assessed and ways to improve it.
• Considering the commonality of documentation and its interdependencies, use of digital document repositories may be used for enhancing efficiencies.
• Single business identifier across departments is key to effective implementation of Single Window System
• Use of technology significantly reduces cost and time of government clearances
• For widespread use of Single Window System, mass awareness among end users is indispensable

• Web App or Mobile App available 
• Frontend - Angular 13 with Material Design, 
• Database - PostgreSQL 12, Backend - NodeJS 14
•  Website www.investpunjab.gov.in
• Tracking through Data Analytics
• Online Payment Gateway
• Real-time Status / Alerts through SMS & Email