Centre to grant online environment permits

New Delhi: In a bid to fast track major investment projects and impart transparency in clearance procedures, the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) under the cabinet secretariat has announced that all forest clearance applications would be digitised and uploaded on the web from July 1, 2014, said  Anil Swarup additional secretary, cabinet secretariat on Wednesday.

Likewise, tracking of environment clearance proposals would be facilitated online by September 1, this year, he said. While addressing FICCI, Mr Swarup also indicated that clearances for exploration of mines would be put up on the web from November 1, 2014.

These steps are expected to build investor confidence and revive the investment cycle that has slowed down considerable during the last couple of years.

So far the PMG headed by Mr Swarup has facilitated clearance for over 150 projects worth Rs 5,27,299 crore. However, there are over 280 more projects registered with PMG that are awaiting various clearances.

Speaking on the expanded role of the PMG, Mr Swarup said that a decision had been taken to hand over the role of resolution of issues on the ground to PMG.

Furthermore, the group is also looking at policy issues and once the process of digitisation of investment proposals is complete, re-engineering of the process flow and removal of impediments will begin.

He said the states have begun to come on board and appreciate the value proposition that the PMG brings on the table. By the end of July about 16 states, accounting for the bulk of investment proposals, will have in place their own PMGs.

Mr Swarup urged industry to use the state portals as it would help the PMG to understand the issues faced by the industry and facilitate in clearing the bottlenecks.