“I do believe that the national single window that we have created needs inputs from all of you…without which I am almost inclined to abort the idea,” Goyal said at the the DPIIT-CII National Conference on Ease of Doing Business.
The National Single Window System (NSWS) is a digital platform to guide the industry in identifying and applying for approvals according to business requirements.
“The choice is now with you. If you feel that you are not interested in it, I’m spending a lot of money on it, and I have come to a stage that I’m almost inclined to abort the entire idea,” Goyal said.
He said the NSWS may not be perfect but he was open to suggestions from the industry to improve it.
“I am once again urging you, hopefully for the last time, unless each one of you engages with the national single window, tries to get your licenses, your approvals, to that and give us your feedback for us, it seems as if the industry does not have an interest in either the national single window or the industrial land bank,” he said.On easing the compliance burden through the Jan Vishwas 2.0 Bill, he said the government will try to provide retrospective benefits to the industry.“No retroactive negativity, only retroactive benefits on an optional basis. Please bear that in mind, I don’t want to end up with the UPA-type situation where we cause a complete collapse of the trust in India’s systems with retroactive taxation coming in and killing investor appetite to come to India,” the minister said.
“Anything we do has to be positive if retroactive, if there is anything which hurts anybody it can only be prospective. That is the commitment that this government has made on the floor of Parliament,” Goyal told industry, adding that the government is actively looking to decriminalise 300 more laws.
Imports, local preference
Goyal said that the government is fast tracking anti dumping and safeguard actions against unfair competition from imported goods.
“There are times when I realize that even the 180 days required for any of these actions, if they are long and can hurt an industry…we have even taken action In 24 hours to protect sectors which needed it,” he said.
While he said that growing imports are a signal of growth and development for entrepreneurs and business persons to invest in those sectors, Goyal asked industry to start making a commitment to give a preference to Indian suppliers like in Korea, Japan, the US’ Inflation Reduction Act, and the EU’s CBAM and other deforestation regulations.
“What stops Indian industry from also being a part of this effort to support each other?,” he asked.
