No ease of business for this Jharkhand entrepreneur

Source: telegraphindia.com

A soft coke unit, whose foundation stone was laid by none other than chief minister Raghubar Das in December 2017 as a showpiece project borne out of the state’s first Global Investors’ Summit earlier in the year, is yet to have a power connection.

BL Soft Coke Industry, set up by Sastrinangar industrialist B.L. Agarwal at Kalyanpur, about 13km from here, by investing around Rs 65 lakh, has been running on power from diesel generator sets, leading to higher costs that has adversely impacted the SME’s bottomline.

Worst, a scrubber installed as per Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board guidelines to control emissions, hasn’t been functioning properly for want of a regular power connection.

“We had high hopes when we went to Bokaro in December 2017 during the state’s third ground breaking ceremony. Foundation stones were laid online of as many as 105 units with chief minister Raghubar Das presiding over the function amidst much fanfare. But till now, one of our basic requirements hasn’t been fulfilled,” said B.L Agarwal’s son, Gaurav, who runs the unit on behalf of his father.

Gaurav said they had approached officials of Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) in Dhanbad more than 30 times ever since they had applied for an electricity connection on September 6, 2017. “But, we are yet to get a power connection. We are facing a lot of difficulties,” he said.

A year ago, Gaurav received a call from an official in the state government’s single window cell that is supposed to streamline permissions and clearances that entrepreneurs may require.

“I was asked if I was facing any difficulty. I told them about the delay in getting an electricity connection. But the issue is yet to be resolved,” he said.

Soft coke is a byproduct of coal with lesser ash content and moisture. BL Soft Coke Industry produces around 400 tonnes of soft coke per month for which it requires 30-40 litres of diesel to run generators and other factory equipment.

JBVNL junior engineer Chandan Kumar promised to resolve the issue in a day or two. “We have already completed all formalities for awarding a connection to BL Soft Coke Industry. There was an error in the company’s application form. Instead of applying for a 10HP (horse power) connection the factory applied for a 2KVA connection,” he said.

Gaurav admitted the error, but reasoned that it could not be the reason for such an inordinate delay. “The power connection could always have been given and the issue of load sorted out later. I can’t understand the reason for the delay when there is electricity in all the villages near my factory,” he said.

Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association general secretary Rajiv Sharma said the experience of BL Soft Coke shows how red tape is killing entrepreneurship. “JBVNL is earning a bad name for itself and for Jharkhand. The state government is framing policies for the convenience of businessmen with good intentions, but the benefit of the policies are not reaching the targeted people,” he rued.

Anil Agarwal (Chairman of Vedanta)

Anil Agarwal

Anil Agarwal (born 1954, Patna, Bihar, India) is an Indian metals, mining magnate and the founder and chairman of the UK-based Vedanta Resources Corporation. His personal wealth is US$6.4 billion as of 2010.

Early life and background

Anil Agarwal was born in Patna, Bihar in 1954. His father was a small-businessman. His father was into making aluminium conductors. Mr. Agarwal, was a matriculate from Miller High School, Patna. Lalu Prasad Yadav was his classmate and he also claim to be his great fan. He is strict vegetarian.

Career
Anil Agarwal founded Sterlite Industries, a business operating in the industrial sector in 1976[1] and then in 1986 established Vedanta Resources bringing together a variety of businesses owned by the Agarwal family.[2].Mr. Agarwal served as Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Resources Plc. from November 27, 2003 to March 2005. He served as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Sterlite Industries India Ltd.(subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc) from 1980 to October 19, 2004. Mr. Agarwal has over 31 years experience as an industrialist. He has been an Executive Chairman of Vedanta Resources Plc since March 23, 2005 and its Executive Director since May 16, 2003. Mr. Agarwal has been Chairman of Sterlite Industries India Ltd. since October 20, 2004. Mr. Agarwal has been Non Executive Chairman and an Additional Director of Sterlite Technologies Limited (a/k/a, Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd.) since October 30, 2006. He serves as an Executive Chairman of BALCO( acquired by Sterlite). He serves as Chairman of the Board of Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd. (BALCO) and Sterlite Gold Ltd. Mr. Agarwal also serves as a Director of SOVL, Vedanta Alumina and Sterlite Paper Limited. He has been Director of Sterlite Gold Ltd. since January 1999 and Sterlite Industries India Ltd. since 1978. He serves as Director of Copper Mines Of Tasmania Pty Ltd., and Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd. (BALCO). Mr. Agarwal has been an Executive Director of Vedanta Resources Plc since May 16, 2003. He serves as a Director of Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) , Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited and VAL.

Anil Agarwal is the Executive Chairman of Vedanta Group. Mr Agarwal, who founded the Group in 1976, is also Chairman of Sterlite and is a Director of BALCO, HZL, and Vedanta Alumina Ltd. Since 1976 the Group has grown under his leadership, vision and strategy. Mr Agarwal has over 30 years experience as an industrialist.

Vedanta Resources is a diversified metals and mining company with revenues in excess of USD 8 billion. It is the first Indian manufacturing company to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Anil Agarwal serves as the President of Operations at Orient Ceramics & Industries Ltd. Mr. Agarwal has over 31 years experience as an Industrialist. Mr. Agarwal founded Vedanta Resources plc in 1976 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from November 27, 2003 to March 2005. He served as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Sterlite Industries India Ltd., a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc from 1980 to October 19, 2004. He has been the Executive …  Chairman of Vedanta Resources Plc since March 23, 2005. Mr. Agarwal has been the Chairman of Sterlite Industries India Ltd. since October 20, 2004. Mr. Agarwal has been the Non Executive Chairman of Sterlite Technologies Limited (a/k/a, Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd.) since October 30, 2006. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd. (BALCO) and Sterlite Gold Ltd. He serves as the Chairman of the Board at Sterlite Energy Ltd. and has been its Director since November 2007. He has been an Executive Director at Vedanta Resources Plc since May 16, 2003. Mr. Agarwal also serves as a Director of SOVL, Sterlite Opportunities and Ventures Ltd., Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Sterlite Metal Rollings Mills Private Limited, Finsider International Limited, Thalanga Copped Mines Pty Limited and Sterlite Paper Limited. He has been a Director of Sterlite Gold Ltd. since January 1999 and Sterlite Industries India Ltd. since 1978. He serves as a Director of Copper Mines Of Tasmania Pty Ltd. He serves as a Director of Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited and VAL. He served as a Director of Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) from April 11, 2002 to March 2009. He received the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 award.

Wealth

Having ranked eighth in 2003,[3] as of November 2006, he was the eleventh-richest Indian, with a personal fortune of US$4.5 billion.As of 6 October 2007, Agarwal’s net worth was estimated at $12.7 billion, making him the 6th richest Indian.As of 11th March 2010, his net worth is estimated at $ 6.4 billion

Personal life

Mr. Agarwal is based in UK, where he lives in London, is married and has two children.