Siliguri, March 30 -- The long-standing electricity connection issues faced by the business community of North Bengal have finally been resolved, after the intervention of Aroop Biswas, the minister of Power Supply, Government of West Bengal.
From now on, for High Tension (HT) Bulk connections up to 11 KV, approval from the Electrical Inspector (EI) is no longer mandatory. Instead, self-certification will suffice to secure these connections, significantly easing the process for industries in the region.
A notification has been already issued in this regard. The North Bengal Industries Association (NBIA) expressed its gratitude towards the minister, acknowledging his proactive role in addressing the concerns of the business community.
"We are very thankful to the minister who took up the matter seriously and resolved our issues. This is also a great achievement for the development of industries in North Bengal as well as West Bengal," said Surajit Paul, the Honorary General Secretary of NBIA. On February 12, the NBIA had sent a letter to the Power minister highlighting the administrative challenges faced by small and medium enterprises. The primary grievance was the absence of key officials at Uttarkanya, the mini-secretariat of North Bengal, which caused delays in obtaining necessary approvals.
Industrialists reported that the unavailability of the EI forced them to rely on middlemen, creating an unofficial network where brokers charged extra fees to expedite the process. This not only increased costs for businesses but also discouraged potential investors.
Business owners also revealed that they were verbally instructed to travel to Kolkata and hire agents in Siliguri for electricity testing and verification, adding to their financial and logistical burdens.
With the new notification in place, the process is expected to be streamlined, reducing bureaucratic delays and promoting industrial growth in North Bengal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.