Coal allocation to MSMEs to be made Online

In a significant development related to the allocation of coal to Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSME), the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to migrate to an online system through its Single Desk Portal (SDP) to consolidate its standing in the ease-of-doing-business indicators. As per a G.O. issued in the name of Commissioner for Industrial Promotion Solomon Arokiaraj on November 3rd, the SDP will ensure authenticity of transactions through digital signatures and one-time password-based authentication.

The number of documents to be uploaded will be minimised and with it comes a provision for self-certification by the industrial units.

At present, the applications for allocation of coal are submitted physically by industrial units along with supporting documents in the offices of the General Managers of the District Industries Centres (DIC) in the form of hard copies.

The District Industries Promotion Committees scrutinise the proposals backed by the inspection reports of the DICs. Recommendations are then made to the Director/Commissioner of Industries for coal quantity over and above 100 metric tonnes per month.

The proposal to move to an online platform (route the applications and processing of allocation through the SDP) is in continuation with the business reform action plan targeted at technology-driven improvements in government procedures.

The new system facilitates quicker and easier processing of the applications and allocation of coal. It will come into force from the date of hosting of the online software application for ‘Raw Materials (Coal) Allocation’ on the SDP.

The A.P. Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) is the nodal agency for supply and distribution of coal to the MSMEs from the Mahanadi Coal Fields, which gets its allocation from the Coal India Limited, from 2012-13 to 2017-18.

Source: The Hindu