To facilitate setting up new industries in Uttar Pradesh and project a pro-industry image, the state government is reviving the concept of Escort Officer (EO) in the industrial development department.
The concept is to provide escort services of senior government officers at different levels for the implementation of projects in different categories, right from the beginning to making the units functional.
However, the concept, which was introduced in 2000, had met with little success partly due to paucity of adequate number of officers and apparent lack of zeal among EOs, as this was an additional responsibility on serving officials.
Since its inception, over 1,700 projects pertaining to different industries viz. sugar, food and food processing, chemical, textiles, logistics, steel, energy, engineering, fertiliser, leather, paper etc had been provided with EOs
A senior state government functionary told Business Standard that the EO concept was being reviewed to mitigate the lacunae in the system.
Mostly officials serving in the state industries department, UP Finance Corporation (UPFC), UP State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC), Pradeshiya Industrial & Investment Corporation of UP (PICUP) and various development authorities are nominated as Escorts.
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Udyog Bandhu under the state industrial development department is the nodal agency for this initiative.
“The concerned investor is not taken into confidence before nominating the Escort Officer. Besides, it is an additional responsibility on the official, who is normally given to escort more than one projects,” an UPFC official said on anonymity.
He claimed sometimes EO was appointed, when the project had already been completed.
Acknowledging lax availability of this specialised service to entrepreneurs, UP had issued a Government Order (GO) last year for its effective implementation.
There are 4 categories under the concept: For projects with proposed investment of up to Rs 10 crore, the respective District Magistrate functions as the EO.
Similarly, projects involving investment of Rs 10-25 crore are to be escorted by additional/joint director, industries. For projects proposals of Rs 25-50 crore, the state Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) allocates the EO from a pool of officers from UPFC, UPSIDC and PICUP.