Guwahati: Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota delivered a keynote address at the inaugural session of the “ICC Guest of the Month on Ease of Doing Business” in Guwahati today. Dr. Kota praised the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) for its significant contributions to the North Eastern Region and emphasized the importance of such events in setting ambitious goals for Assam's business landscape. In his address, Dr. Kota acknowledged that while the concept of Ease of Doing Business might seem straightforward, it involves detailed planning and collaboration. He stressed that ongoing interaction between the government and stakeholders is crucial for the industry's growth. Dr. Kota highlighted that Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been proactive in enhancing the business environment through various measures. These include amending acts and rules, introducing new policies, removing bureaucratic obstacles, and engaging with industrial bodies to adopt best practices from across the country. Notable achievements include attracting nearly Rs 20,000 crores in investments, with the largest being the Rs 27,000 crore Tata Semiconductor Plant at Jagiroad in Morigaon. Since the introduction of the Assam Ease of Doing Business Act in 2016, the state has seen significant improvements. The Assam EoDB Portal, initially launched with 15 services from 7 departments, now offers 241 services across 17 departments. The portal has processed 24,30,357 applications, with 24,08,014 (99.08%) successfully delivered. Dr. Kota encouraged industry associations like the ICC to review the EoDB applications and suggest improvements to enhance the quality of service. He also discussed the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) initiative, aimed at streamlining regulations to improve the business climate, and noted Assam’s progress from 24th position in 2016 to the Aspirers category by 2022.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
