The West Bengal Incentive Scheme: Waiver of Electricity Duty

The "Waiver of Electricity Duty" operates as a sub-scheme within the broader West Bengal Incentive Scheme, introduced on February 22, 2021, by the Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal. The parent scheme is designed to promote self-employment and generate job opportunities through financial support for prospective entrepreneurs.

This sub-scheme, effective until December 31, 2025, provides a substantial financial benefit to qualifying tourism projects and hotel units. It achieves this by exempting electricity duty on consumption, thereby lowering operational expenses, improving business competitiveness, and fostering sustainable development in the state's tourism industry. The initiative aims to stimulate investment and the growth of tourism-related infrastructure across West Bengal.

Registration Process:

• Go to the official Shilpasathi portal (https://silpasathi.wb.gov.in/) and select ‘Apply online’.
• First-time users should choose ‘Create New’, pick the correct entity category (Industry /Business /Commercial /Charitable Society/ Govt. entity), and provide the relevant Registration number.
• Complete every mandatory field in the ‘User Registration’ screen with correct information and press ‘Register’. Those who already have an account can ‘Sign In’ using their User ID, password, and Captcha code.

Application Process:

• Access the Shilpasathi portal by logging in with your credentials.
• On the user dashboard, choose ‘ALL SERVICES’ to see the list of available services.
• Tick the box next to the service labelled ‘Tourism Incentive’.
• Press ‘Create CAF’ to obtain a distinct CAF ID, then select ‘Apply Online’ to move ahead with the application.
• Provide all required information in the common application form.
• Upload every relevant document needed for certificate issuance and press ‘Save & Continue’.
• Go through the completed application and all entered details for a final check.
• Mark the Declaration checkbox located at the bottom left of the page before pressing the ‘Submit’ button.
• Applicants get updates via SMS and email at key points during application handling (submission, approval, or rejection).
• After all steps are finished and the authority grants approval, applicants can obtain the approved Registration certificate from the online system by pressing ‘Download Certificate’.

Important Note: The full procedure for receiving incentives requires first securing a Registration Certificate, followed by a Date of Commencement Certificate, and then an Eligibility Certificate from the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited. Once all three certificates are in hand, eligible units can apply for various incentive types, such as the electricity duty waiver, through designated online forms.

Applications are submitted via the Shilpasathi portal, where the first stage checks that every mandatory document is present and that the applicant meets the stated eligibility conditions. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited then reviews the project, and once it is satisfied with the arrangements and regulatory compliance, it issues the Registration Certificate, Date of Commencement Certificate, and Eligibility Certificate. After the applicant unit has obtained all these prerequisite certificates, the competent authority gives final approval for the electricity duty waiver incentive. This staged verification is designed to confirm that only projects which are truly eligible and compliant with the rules receive the benefit.