West Bengal Government recieves multiple SKOCH Awards

Within a couple of months after coming to power and holding the reins of governance, the Government of West Bengal, under the stewardship of Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has gifted the citizens of West Bengal a proud moment, an occasion to rejoice. In the recently held annual SKOCH Awards ceremony, the State Government has repeated its past performance and has bagged five awards including a platinum, a gold and three silver prizes in four categories of governance.

This is not the first time that Mamata Banerjee and her team has clenched the awards on behalf of the state. Corruption, existing at all levels of all societies in varying degrees, is a behavioural consequence of power and greed in contexts of inadequate governance. With no published rulebook or formula with which to comply, corruption is covert, repetitively opportunistic and powerfully reliant upon dominance and fear within unwritten and unspoken codes. Amid this scenario, ‘India’s honest independent award,’ SKOCH Group has instituted India’s highest independent civilian honours in the field of governance, finance, technology, economics and social sector. SKOCH Awards recognizes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation and its winners include the mighty and the ordinary alike. 

Delighted to announce that under Ease of Doing Business initiative, GoWB schemes including Silpasathi, e-Nathikaran, online system for auto-renewal of certificate of enlistment (urban) & online system for issuance of trade license (rural) have won the esteemed SKOCH Awards. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/JHzCu96LAO

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 3, 2021

SKOCH Group is India’s leading think tank dealing with socio-economic issues with a focus on inclusive growth since 1997. The group companies include a consulting wing, a media wing and a charitable foundation. The SKOCH Award was instituted in 2003 and covers the best of efforts in digital, financial and social inclusion. It encompasses the best of governance, inclusive growth, excellence in technology and applications, change management, corporate leadership, corporate governance, citizen services delivery, capacity building, empowerment and other such softer issues that get normally lost in the glamour and the glitz of industry sponsored or advertising focused jamborees.

This year, the MSME and Textile department of the state government were the front runners in the last lap leading to the coveted SKOCH Awards and triumphed with four out of the five trophies, including the top two. The department’s ‘Shilpa Sathi’ scheme -- the online single window portal, under the Ease of Doing Business initiative, was selected for the highest platinum award category. The 'One Window Project' for business and industrial establishment was launched to simplify the whole process and that has been immensely beneficial for industrialists. Another MSME venture, Auto Renewal of Certificate of Enlistment through online system for urban areas, was awarded the gold prize. 

The government’s policy of issuing trade license online in rural areas and E-nathikaran, the online system for registration, preparation and submission of deeds by the MSME and Textile Department won two silver awards. The other silver award was won by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited for sustainable performance as the second largest power utility with substantial IT transformation.

After the winners were declared, the State Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee wrote on Twitter, “I am overwhelmed to announce that the state government has won the Scotch Award for Business Friendly Initiative - Industrial Partner, e-Documentation, Online Renewal of Online Registration Certificate in Urban and Online Trade License in Rural.” She also added, “Congratulations to all for their tireless work. The government will ensure that West Bengal is ahead of the rest of the country in a business-friendly environment.”