Govt sits on biz reforms action plans

The state government has been sitting on many of the Business Reforms Action Plans (BRAPs) aimed at ensuring ease-of-doing business, for quite some time.

Some of the important reform proposals such as enactment of comprehensive building bye-laws, online system for building plan approval and monitoring their compliance, integration of land records database, reducing number of documents required for obtaining electricity connection and online sanction of water supply connection, have been pending before the government for long time, documents reveal.

Karnataka’s all-India ranking in ensuring ease-of-doing business nosedived to 13th position this year from ninth position last year. Karnataka has failed to implement 39 of the total 340 BRAPs. The worst performer is the Urban Development Department (UDD). It has implemented only one BRAP of the eight assigned to it.

Four of the eight BRAPs of the UDD are part of the model building bye-laws – 2016 document circulated by the Centre to the state early this year to ensure the ease-of-doing business and uniformity in building code at all urban local bodies (ULBs).

The four BRAPs are: enactment of comprehensive formal building bye-law applicable to the entire state, risk-based classification of buildings, including accreditation programme and fixing clear responsibilities for architects and engineers engaged in building construction in the bye-laws and developing valid master or zonal plans. However, the government has not initiated any measure to implement the model bye-law.

The UDD in April this year had directed the Directorate of Town and Country Planning to go through the model bye-laws and make proper recommendations. But, the Directorate has so far not made any recommendation to the government, sources in the UDD said. UDD Additional Chief Secretary Mahendra Jain was not available for comments.

Another reform pending for long is integration of lands records database with mortgage and judicial database to provide a full picture of encumbrances on a property. It was one of the BRAPs assigned to the Stamps and Registration Department for implementation. The Department has also failed to design and implement a system that allows online submission and verification of documents and integration of all sub-registrar offices in the state.

Besides, the Labour department has failed to ensure online system for renewal of trade license under the Karnataka Shops and Establishment Act, which was one of the important BRAPs expected to be implemented by it. For the last three years, the Department has been working on preparing a Geographic Information System  map of all shops and establishments in order to introduce the online system. But, the work is yet to be completed, sources  said.