Centre picks Infosys for launching e-Biz project

The government, on Tuesday, joined hands with Bangalore-based IT major Infosys to launch e-Biz project that seeks to provide on-line single stop shop for all sorts of official clearances relating to business licenses, permits and hosts of services relating to day to day life like getting a PAN card or getting municipality clearance for building a house.

Under the e-Biz project, which is one of the 27 mission projects approved under the National e-Governance Plan, sitting at home one can get hosts of government services like issuance of PAN card for Income Tax purposes, getting a driving license, latest update on one’s balance at the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and seeking municipality clearances for building a house. Infosys will be responsible for designing and developing the e-Biz platform, establishing the support IT infrastructure, implementing, maintaining and expanding the e-Biz solution and services over the next 10 years.

The ambitious e-Biz project, which is an initiative of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce, will cover wide-ranging services provided by various departments and ministries of the central government, departments and regulatory authorities of all the state governments and civic bodies like municipalities.

Initially the pilot project will cover 29 government services including 11 specific state level services like getting clearances for setting up industries from state pollution boards and registration in employment exchanges, DIPP Secretary Ajay Shanker told reporters. The on-line clearance services in the first phase of project include wide-ranging business and industry related services provided by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central Board of Excise and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Ministry of Forest & Environment. In the first phase five states including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Jharkhand will be covered and all the remaining states are proposed to be covered under the e-Biz in 10 year time.   
        
For investors the e-Biz project will provide a single stop shop for all business licenses and permits, eliminate the need to physically interface with various regulatory authorities at the Central, State and local government levels.