MoEF no longer a 'road-block' ministry: Javadekar

Panaji: Union Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday is no longer a "road-block" for development, while taking pot-shots at the functioning of the same ministry during the previous United Progressive Alliance regime.

"Environment ministry, which I am head of, was the road block ministry during the Congress regime... their agenda was to stop development. We have turned it upside down.

"We have ensured that things flow smoothly with predictable policy regime and are taking policy based decisions and practically giving permissions on an automatic route without discretion," he said at the inaugural edition of the Global Business Forum, an initiative of Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay alumni association, held near here.

Javadekar also explained the mechanisms he had put in place to ensure speedy work ethic and quick permissions.

"Nobody needs to meet me, delays are deleted and therefore we can guarantee timely delivery of license and permissions," he said, adding that the focus was now on compliance of existing norms and not getting proposals entangled in the pre-licencing processes.

"What we will be emphasising more on, is compliance. In India there are many rules, laws and regulations, but rarely they are implemented and therefore enforcement or compliance will be our main thrust," he said.

Javadekar also said that access to clean water was a daunting problem for all under-developed and developing economies and that it presented itself one of the biggest challenges before humanity.

"Access to clean water is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today, and the problem is particularly daunting for the underdeveloped and developing economies. That being said, these are also the countries that possess the knack and knowledge to develop technologies that are simple, effective and utilise lesser resources," he said.