LAHORE: In order to facilitate the industrial sector, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Wednesday urged the government to establish an E-Portal for new connections and other services which would not only save precious time of the business community but also bring much-needed efficiency in industrial activities.
The LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed said here that procedure of new electricity connection for industry was much cumbersome and takes average 178 days as compared to Korea where businessmen could get electricity connection in only 18 days.
They cited the example of Korea where businessmen request and receive internal wiring inspection by Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, submit application and sign contract and receive external works, meter installation and electricity flow and all procedure completes within 18 days only.
The LCCI office-bearers said that there was a dire need to follow the modules of developed countries where industry was being facilitated through modern techniques.
They said that the proposed E-Portal would provide the facility of submission of applications and all relevant documents online.
They said that this E-Portal should be integrated with Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Land Record Management Information System (LRMIS) and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) database for the verification of company's information.
The LCCI office-bearers also suggested that this E-Portal should also collect fee online through online banking. After submission of verified safety inspection report, demand notice should be generated through E-portal.
They said that currently, internal wiring inspection was being conducted through Electric Inspector, Punjab.
He said that LESCO should accept the internal wiring report of private certified and registered contractors.
He said that the Electric Inspector should be able to submit the Internal Wiring report on this E-Portal within 10 days.
They said that all infrastructure cost up to the point of connection should be borne by the government/LESCO.
They said that establishment of one-portal would enable Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to collect all the required information and disseminate to all the concerned Federal/Provincial government departments through an online portal.
However, they added, registration with each department should be made need-based, asserting that one-portal would also enable SECP to take a one-time lump sum payment in their online bank account which could then be transferred to the account of the relevant Federal/Provincial Government departments.
The LCCI office-bearers said that such initiatives would not only pave the way to become at par with the developed countries but also direly needed to improve the Pakistan's ease of doing business ranking which was deteriorating every year and reached from 75 in 2010 to 138 in 2015.
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