Speed and Transparency ensured with the launch of online portal for the forest-related approvals
The Modi government seems to be a tech savvy government as they have started their online environment clearance system for industrial and infrastructure projects. Now they are planning to launch a similar e-window platform for forest-related approval on July 1, 2014. This will minimise the delays in approvals and fast-track the projects. It will also ensure transparency and minimise bribery and other malpractices.
The online forest clearance system will be the second such move of the environment ministry and this paperless effort will be environment friendly too. The ministry took the first step on June 5 when it launched online environment clearance mechanism. Though the ministry continues to accept offline applications for environment clearance during the transition phase of 25 days, this system will go fully online from July 1.
This will provide better service to the consumer, and if any paperwork is lost, no one will have to worry as everything will be available online. The online forest clearance portal will handle ‘prior approval’ of any project for diversion of forest land for non-forest purpose. This, at present, takes a lot of time in the due to the lack of transparency and ambiguity in procedures. After this process is fully functional from July 1, seeking prior approval of central government under the Forest Conservation (FC) Act will be accepted only online.
Source- The Times of India
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