West Bengal Silpasathi Portal: A Complete Overview

All the state governments, along with the central government since the introduction and launch of the digital India campaign, have started to convert their offline services into online services. With a notification on the 28th of December of the year 2022, the government of West Bengal had also made it compulsory for all the applications for licenses and registrations to be made through only one online portal, which is known as the Silpasathi Portal, as a part of the digital India campaign. The West Bengal Silpasathi Portal acts as a comprehensive site for businessmen looking to establish their industries in West Bengal. With the West Bengal Silpasathi Portal, investors can now easily set up industries in West Bengal. All the services related to starting, setting up and posting are included in this single Silpasathi Portal. 

Key Highlight of Silpasathi Portal 2024

The West Bengal government has introduced the portal to assist investors and businesses, accelerate necessary permissions, and address their complaints. To ensure that concerns pertaining to land are resolved quickly, a nodal officer has been established. The online portal may be a committed employee of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (WBIDCL), which helps entrepreneurs get the assistance they need to set up and run a business in the state efficiently and on schedule.

The key highlights of Silpasathi Portal 2024 are:

• The Silpasathi Portal of 2024 is launched by the government of West Bengal. 
• The portal is created by the West Bengal Corporation Ltd.
• This portal will be very beneficial for all the citizens of West Bengal state.
• The Silpasathi Portal’s mode of application is entirely online.
• This portal is exclusively for West Bengal only.
• The main aim of the Silpasathi Portal is to provide fast and accessible services for operating the businesses online. 

What is the Purpose of the Silpasathi Portal?

The primary purposes of the Silpasathi Portal are:

1. The principal purpose of the Silpasathi Portal is to make business easy for all entrepreneurs who are planning to start industries in West Bengal.
2. The second purpose was to start a portal that serves as a single point of access for all the required services and approvals.
3. The following important purpose of the Silpasathi Portal was to create employment.
4. With the launch of the Silpasathi Portal, an effort was made to improve the current regulatory framework and make it easy to access.
5. The Silpasathi Portal promotes transparency and helps in curbing corruption. All the information and processes are mentioned on the portal, which reduces confusion.  

Characteristics of Silpasathi Portal

The key characteristics of Silpasathi Portal are as follows:

1. The Silpasathi Portal is available on the mobile app, making it very easy for investors to access.
2. All the payments that need to be made for the services through the portal can be made online.
3. The Silpasathi Portal is fully online in nature. All the approvals done in relation to applications and submissions made are also done online.
4. All the documents that are uploaded on the portal are also fully done electronically. 
5. The Silpasathi Portal also uses the SMS facility to keep in touch with the applicants and keep them updated about their applications.
6. The other main characteristic is live tracking of the status of the application.
7. With the Silpasathi Portal, visiting multiple departments for different approvals is now not required. All investors can just visit this single portal.
8. All the certificates and approvals that are available can be downloaded from the portal in the E-certificate format. 
9. The users of the portal can also find the specific departments they want to get approval from very easily on the portal. 

Benefits of the Silpasathi Portal

The main advantages of the online single-window portal are:

1. The whole portal is fully online in nature.
2. The portal acts as a single gateway for all major licenses and registrations required.
3. The portal is a cost-effective solution for the applicants, who can use the single portal for all their requirements.
4. This portal also helps in increasing the investors’ trust and ensures transparency.
5. The portal is available in multiple languages, which makes it accessible to a vast group of people.
6. The portal also provides its own help desk, where the applicants can file their grievances.
7. The overall economy of the state can be increased with such kind of improved and effective registration portal. 

What Services Does Silpasathi Portal Provide?

There are various departments that are all included under the Silpasathi Portal. The main aim of the Silpasathi Portal was to establish a portal that can comprehensively include all the departments to make the process of registration and permission more accessible and faster. The departments that are included under the Silpasathi Portal are:

1.Department of Consumer Affairs

The Department of Consumer Affairs is one of the departments whose services can be availed from the portal. Online services like registration under the LMPC Act, the renewal of the legal metrology certificate, and the registration under the Weights and Measures Act can all be applied under this department. All these services are online in nature.

2.Environment Department (WBPCB)

The applicant can apply for services related to content to establish, consent to operate, NOC and other related hazardous rules under the Department of the Environment, which is the West Bengal Pollution and Control Board. The applicant can also apply for the renewal of consents on this portal. 

3.Department of Fire and Emergency Services

The online services that can be applied for by the applicant under the department are the application for fire safety certification and renewal of the same, etc.

4.Forest Department

Under the forest department, all the permissions and licenses for cutting the trees, if required, are taken by the applicant. 

5. Department of Health & Family Welfare

All the licenses and permits related to drug license manufacturing, either in wholesale or retail and renewal of the same can be applied for on the online portal. 

6.Irrigation and Waterways Department

All the permission related to the usage of the surface water for the business units that are established can be applied under this department. 

7.Industry Commerce and Enterprises Department

The registration of the societies, firms, building plan approvals, incentives as per the textile policy, MSME policy, and land allotment, as well as the availability of land, can all be applied by the applicant under this department.

8.Department of Information Technology & Electronics

Online services related to IT and electronics can be applied in this department. 

9.Labour Department

The online services related to all the registration and renewals under the:

• Shops & Establishments Act 
• Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996
• The Indian Boilers, 1923
• The Contracts Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, of 1970
• The approval of the plans for the factory, contractor license, etc. can all be applied by the applicant under the labour department. 

10.Department of Municipal Affairs

The online services related to trade licenses, any new connection for water, payments of tax property, building plans and their approvals can all be applied under this department. 

The other departments whose services can be used under the portal are:

• Panchayats and Rural Development Department
• Power and Non-Conventional Energy Sources Department
• Department of Public Works
• Registration and Stamps
• State Water Investigation Directorate
• Tourism Department
• Department of Urban Development

What Are the Focus Areas of the Silpasathi Portal?

The focus areas of the Silpasathi Portal are:

• Urban development
• Industrial infrastructure
• Agro-business
• Information technology
• Manufacturing
• Energy
• Tourism
• Education and Health Care
• Skill development
• Transport

What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Silpasathi Portal?

There are specific criteria for eligibility for the Silpasathi Portal:

• The applicant should be a legal company, which is legally registered under the Company Act or the LLP Act in India.
• The investment done in machines, plants, and fixed assets must be at least one crore.
• There should be expansion or construction of any of the business units, one of the fifteen priority industries.
• All the rules and regulations that are established by the West Bengal government are to be duly followed by the applicant. 
• The next criterion for eligibility is to make sure that no money is owed to any state or central government or any of the financial institutions.
• The business or manufacturing unit must be located in West Bengal. It should be in one of the recognized growth centres, industrial parks, or industrial estates. 

Documents Required for Silpasathi Portal

Some of the common vital documents which are required are:

• Proof of Identity
• Proof of Address
• Memorandum of Association 
• Articles of Association
• Permits 
• Licenses
• No Objection Certificate from the Pollution Control Board
• Ownership Proof or Tenancy Proof
• All the information on the bank account
• Detailed Business Plan
• Registration of Taxation

Silpasathi Portal: Registration Process

Here is a step-by-step process for registering under the Silpasathi Portal:

1. The initial stage is to visit the site of Silpasathi Portal.

2. The next step is to find the button “Apply Online” and click on the same, which opens a dialogue box with two option which are:
3. Log in 
4. New User Registration

• Click on the new user registration option.

4. A window with opens up where the key information of the user is to be filled. Information like the name, user name, the password, phone number, email are asked. The user name has to be of the digits and distinct. The password has to be the combination of numbers, symbols and letters.
5. After the information is filled select the submit option. 
6. In order to verify the registration, a one-time password will be sent to registered phone number that is used for the registration.
7. After the account is verified and created, you can also log in by using the username and password.

Silpasathi Portal: Process for Grievance

There is also a facility of lodging the grievance; here are the steps to lodge a grievance on the Silpasathi Portal:

1. Select the option “query/grievance” on the same page.
2. A form for the grievance will come on screen.
3. Some of the key information and details related to the grievance have to be filled. 
4. After filling the grievance form, upload all the documents and paperwork that is necessary as a proof for the authorities.
5. After all the information is filled and the documents are uploaded, click on the lodge grievance button, and the grievance is filled. 

How do you log in to the Silpasathi Portal? 

The following are the steps that can be followed to log in to the Silpasathi Portal:

1. You can visit the website of the Silpasathi Portal, and click on the admin login.
2. Enter the details required for the login.
3. Select the login button, and the home page opens up.

How to Select the Department Wise Services?

The key service of the Silpasathi Portal is that the applicant can apply through one single online window to multiple departments. In order to view the list of all the departments whose services are provided on the Silpasathi Portal:

1. Click on the about option on the screen, a list of all the departments appears on your screen.
2. Then you can click on the option list department wise services options, to view the services each department provides.
3. You can then select the department under which you want to file the application and similarly choose the types of service that you want.
4. You will then have to log in and add all the necessary information and documents that are required by the department.

Services Integrated in Silpasathi Portal

The portal will provide the investors with all the required approvals, certificates, licenses, and registrations, which are needed in the business operation as well as the starting of the industries in West Bengal. Following are the services that are integrated with the Silpasathi Portal:

1. All the licenses under the Factories Act, 1948
2. All the license’s auto renewal is required as per the Factories Act 1948 
3. Plan approval as well as the permission in order to construct, or to extend or take into usage any of the building as a factory under the Factories Act, 1948
4. The registration of manufactures for boilers as per the Boilers Act, 1923 
5. Registration renewal of the boilers manufacturers as per Boilers Act, 1923
6. All the registration required for boilers as per the Boilers Act, 1923
7. Registration’s renewal for the boilers as per the Boilers Act, 1923
8. Contractors’ license under the rules and regulations of the Contracts Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
9. License’s auto-renewal for contractors under rules and regulations of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
10. The Shops and Establishment Act, 1963 Registration
11. Principal employer’s registration for the establishment under regulations of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970  
12. Registration as per the Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996
13. Principal employer’s registration for the establishment as per the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment Conditions of Service) Act, 1979

To Wrap Up

The West Bengal Silpasathi Portal is a ray of hope for companies looking to expand and succeed. The gateway fosters an advantageous relationship amongst the government agencies and enterprises by synchronizing with the state’s development and economic goals. This promotes creative thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, and sustainable economic advancement. Businesses in West Bengal are poised for a revolutionary path towards wealth as they make use of and adjust to the ever-changing features of the Silpasathi Portal.

Frequently Asked Questions