MIDC…
“Zero tolerance to political extortion in Maharashtra” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in one of his speeches recently. Yes, it is a nightmare for industrialists in Maharashtra to operate without paying under the table to anyone in the Industries Department to the MIDC officials, IAS officers, or the Ministers till recent past.. Similar situation is in the pollution control board (MPCB), but on that some other time. Here in the MIDC no file will be moved until you grease their palms, however the merit is. On the other hand, if single window clearance was promoted by the Maharashtra government, it is just for the say, ask any industrialist in Maharashtra working with the Government, they all have a story to tell. Fadnavis ji, along with political extortionists, you should also send a stern warning to your own officials of the departments handling industrialists, especially in the MIDC. I know how important the MIDC and Industries department is to you, today.
Till the recent past without the consent of the Ashar’s and other liaisons of the department no file in the MIDC, moved. Ashar was the shot caller. It is these people who decide which Regional Officers (RO’s) will sit at which post so much to an extent that even the CEO-MIDC is also decided by these people. CEO MIDC has to cough up a lot of money to be at the desired post or they come on promises made in earlier postings. Now in order to recover the said money, the CEO has to blindly follow these dalaal’s of the department. First they advise the CEO to centralise all the powers of the system to only MIDC CEO. Then accordingly when any industrialist comes even for an extension of his lease, or any small or big work, he first has to meet this dalaal, then the money is decided, and once agreed, the file moves ahead. Those who don’t agree to the exorbitant rates these dalaal charge to clear the files, they have to be stranded for months and sometimes years. Even if they approach the court, and even if the court reprimands the department, the file will not move as the legal department will put some or the other point in front of the court, that this industrialist is forced to surrender to these dalaal’s!
I don’t have a problem with professional liaisons present in the MIDC. Now such people are facilitators. In fact, those big industrialists like Adani for example don’t want to meet degraded dalaal or IAS officers, these people often take services of professional people. Even these liaisons need a consent from the Ashar’s. In fact, it is a blessing in disguise to the industrialists that such liaisons give them one window clearance and they charge a commission for it, which is fair. Not that liaison or lobbying is legal in India, but then if the industrialist is happy then why not have people like them. My problem starts when such people try to dominate the market and don’t let any new person enter it. Say suppose if I enter the system to get a file cleared, these dalaal’s are so deep rooted in the system, that even if the CEO or Secretary or Mantri give instructions to the people down, they will just not move my file, such is the nexus. Hard fact…
Now, when Devendra Fadnavis wants to change a few people in the system, he gets a call from powerful people from Delhi to not change them. Yes, every bureaucrat has relations with industrialists and Delhi. But then it is Devendra they know they are dealing with. No pressure works for him. He might give in for a moment, but then his radar is set on you. Then these officers compromise with him and say, I am ready to work with you, but my team i.e. below people are not my responsibility. Imagine the audacity!
So Fadnavis ji, my request is, even if you threaten political extortionists who are mere hafta vasuli people, the problem is there in your own backyard too. It is very difficult to curtail them. But now hang on, yesterday I met someone close to Fadnavis and he said, Vikrant, we have zero tolerance for any corruption now especially in the Industries department. Whatever you have, whosoever faces any problem, come directly to us with that person and we will make sure there will be action.
So industrialists dealing with MIDC, my phone number is easily available in the corridors of power. The Ashar days have gone now. The team of MIDC is new. Minister Uday Samant along with Bhaiyya is in fine tuning with CM Fadnavis, the new Secretary Dr P Anbalagan we all know what he can do, he has handled MIDC before and turned it around. CEO Velarasu knows Fadnavis and the team very well. Rest for the RO’s who are stubborn and deep rooted, they should be transferred immediately. Whatever they have paid to come as RO, they have already recovered it. So no guilt there!
And yes, there are few consulting companies who are working at the MIDC and are making merry. Why do you need them? Now, I heard these consultants (I think 7 or 8 travelled this year to Davos, it was not the case in the previous government) who travelled to Davos days in advance, were calling the shots who will meet Fadnavis and Samant and how many of you can meet. Talk about the department taken over by consultants and dalaal’s. Also the expenditure on Davos especially till the last year was pre-approved. Was it done this year, or just whatever the bills come to will be passed and signed remains to be seen… On that some other time…
Vikrant Hemant Joshi.
