Banglashree for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Subsidy for Water Conservation/Environment Compliance (WCS)

The Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles, Government of West Bengal, introduced the "Banglashree for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises" scheme on April 1, 2020. It provides fiscal incentives to entrepreneurs establishing MSMEs in the state, with the objective of balanced sectoral growth, a sustainable ecosystem, optimal resource use, new employment generation, and wider operational reach.

A key component, the "Subsidy for Water Conservation/Environment Compliance (WCS)", remains effective until March 31, 2025. It applies to micro and small enterprises, reimbursing costs for captive Effluent Water Treatment Plants for wastewater recycling and other pollution control equipment. The measure supports environmental compliance in manufacturing.

**Registration Process**: - Go to the Shilpasathi Portal and select ‘Apply Online’. New users should choose ‘Create New’ to register. - Specify the Applicant Type (Industry /Business /Commercial /Charitable Society/ Govt. entity) and provide the Registration Number. - Complete all required fields on the ‘User Registration’ page and press ‘Register’.

**Application Process**: - Access the Shilpasathi Portal and sign in with your username and password, or use OTP sent to your registered mobile number. - The user dashboard will appear. Choose ‘ALL SERVICES’ and then pick 'MSME Incentive' from the available options. - Select ‘Create CAF’ to generate your CAF ID. Then, click ‘Apply Online’ to continue. - Complete the "eligibility form" and press “Save and Continue” to be taken to the common application form (CAF). - Within the CAF, fill in every mandatory field and click “Update and Continue” to see a preview of the form. - Once the form is submitted, you will be redirected to the “Dashboard” to monitor the application status. - From the Dashboard, proceed by clicking “Click to Proceed”. After making changes, press “Save” to store the updated details. - Use "Preview" to review the form prior to final submission. - On the following screen, click "Go to Application" to complete the "Online Form - A". - You will land on the "APPLY SUBSIDY" section, where you can review year-wise subsidy items for the relevant application. When finished, click "SAVE". - Move to the "FILL UP SUBSIDY" tab. Enter the year-wise subsidy details for the incentive, and use "Add More" to view the multi-year or annual breakdown. - Upload the necessary documents, check the details, click “VERIFY & SUBMIT”, tick the declaration box, and press “Submit Application”. - After the Form-A application is finally submitted, an application reference number will be issued. Keep this number to track the application's status.

**Date of submission of first application**: The initial application must be filed within 12 months from the Date of Commencement of Commercial Production (DOCCP) or within 12 months from the date of notification of Banglashree, whichever is later.

Applications are submitted via the online Shilpasathi Portal. Eligibility is determined from the details furnished in the eligibility form, with further particulars captured in the common application form (CAF). In the final stage, the concerned authorities review the subsidy item specifics and the documents uploaded, after which they decide on approval.