Modi seeks feedback from industries

State sends 5-page feedback form to over 100 firms

As part of its efforts to curb red-tapism, the government of Gujarat has sent a five-page feedback form to corporates in the state seeking their comments on issues faced by them at various government departments.

Sources in the secretariat said the idea was conceptualised by chief minister Narendra Modi who wants to improve the industrial condition in the state.

Last year Modi had said that he intended to convert 'red tape into red carpet' and that his government was intent on being a facilitator and catalyst to the economic development.

After a year, the Industrial Extention Bureau (iNDEXTb), the state government entity to promote industrial activity, appears to have taken the 'assurance' seriously.

It has despatched a five-page feedback form (along with a covering letter) to about 100 top corporates that have operations in Gujarat, seeking their feedback on various issues that they are faced with while operating in the state.

These include general information, procedural aspects, quality of service and quality of life. The state government has assured the corporates that views expressed by them will be "strictly treated confidential".

A copy of this form is available with Business Standard.

Signed by H C Desai, chief general manager (investment promotion) of iNDEXTb, the covering letter for the feedback form says that Modi, who is chairman of the Gujarat Industrial Promotion Board (GIPB), had in a recent meeting suggested that iNDEXTb must get a feedback from leading industrialists about their perception of the administration. Hence the exercise.

While iNdexTb officials refused to comment on the issue, minister of state for industries Anil Patel said, "The government of Gujarat is trying to communicate with the industries of Gujarat, seeking their suggestion for issues relating to investment climate in the state. We are trying to identify the bottleline problems of the industries and we will address to the issues relating to them at the earliest."

While the first part of the feedback form contains general information like the constitution of the company, its works in Gujarat and estimated investment, the second part asks corporates to rate (on a scale of ten) the government on 38 parameters including policies, infrastructure, government procedures, land related matters, land price policy, co-operation by revenue authorities, power, water, finance, pollution clearances, labour related laws, food and drugs administration and the like.

The next section, which deals with quality of services, asks corporates to rate their experience with government departments at the district level and state level under heads like `delightful', `very good', `good', `average' and `poor'.

There is also a separate section where corporates have been asked to give details of experiences they have had with government departments. An entire section of the feedback form has been dedicated to quality of life in the state.

Having parameters like availability of skill formation courses, quality of healthcare, law and order situation, industrial peace, quality of road transport, quality of entertainment, cosmopolitan and liberal culture and availability of telecom and internet connectivity, the feedback form has asked corporates to rate the state on a scale of ten.