Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched the online Self Certification facility for facilitating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the State from here today. This initiative of the State Government for simplification of processes under the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ would go a long way in providing much needed relief to the entrepreneurs.Chief Minister said that earlier the entrepreneurs had to take all the required clearances from concerned departments prior to setting up of the enterprise, which generally resulted in un-necessary escalation of project cost and wastage of time. He said that this online certification facility would not only save the entrepreneurs from cumbersome procedures, but also facilitate in setting up the enterprises at the earliest.Jai Ram Thakur said that now with this online self certification portal facility, the entrepreneurs would furnish a duly filled in “Declaration of Intent” to the Nodal Agency electronically on the portal. He said that the nodal agency would grant ‘Acknowledgement Certificate’ in the electronic format to the entrepreneur within seven days.Chief Minister said that with the start of this facility, there will neither be any inspection of the enterprise nor any required clearance will be sought from the entrepreneur by the concerned departments for three years or till the enterprise starts functioning (whichever is earlier) under the Acts viz; The Himachal Pradesh Panchayat Act-1994, The Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act-1994, The Himachal Pradesh Fire Fighting Services Act-1984, The Himachal Pradesh Road Side Land Control Act-1968, The Himachal Pradesh Shops and Commercial Establishments Act-1969, The Himachal Pradesh Societies Registration Act-2006 and The Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act-1977.Chief Minister said that the State Government brought an ordinance regarding Self Certification by MSMEs on 6th November, 2019 and after it was passed in the Winter Session of the State Vidhan Sabha and was notified on 18th January, 2020 and Rules were framed under the Act on 11th June, 2020. He said that from 1st July 2020 the new definition of MSME would come into force in the State. He said that now enterprises with investment up to Rs 50 crore on plant and machinery will fall under the MSME category. He said that since about 99.5 percent of the industries in the State falls under this category, the online self certification portal facility would go a long way in helping the entrepreneurs.Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government has held Investors Meet on 7th and 8th November last year, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that thousands of entrepreneurs have envisaged interest in setting up of their units in the State.Industries Minister Bikram Singh while welcoming the Chief Minister detailed various initiatives taken by the State Government to ensure ease of doing business.Additional Chief Secretary Industries Ram Subhag Singh said that Himachal Pradesh was the second State after Rajasthan to bring an ordinance regarding Self Certification by MSMEs to facilitate the investors.Director Industries Hans Raj Sharma gave a presentation regarding salient features of this Online Portal.Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Principal Private Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr R.N. Batta, Special Secretary Industries Abid Hussain Sadiq were present on the occasion.