“India’s ranking in the 2016 World Bank report should significantly improve and we are confident that our rank will be within the top 50 in the 2017 report,” says an official involved in the ease of doing business exercise. The target rank of 50 has been given by the Prime Minister , and many officials across ministries and departments have been working on the task of improving India’s business environment by May 31 this year.
The government has already stipulated the introduction of risk-based inspection in export-import, as one of its many targets for creating a business friendly environment. It is also planning to reduce the number of mandatory documents for exports and imports by merging some of them in a way that only three documents (against six currently), will be required for export, and only four documents, (against seven currently), will be mandatory for import.
Aware that the state governments will need to be on board for the success of this exercise, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, the nodal agency coordinating the ease of doing business exercise, has sent a detailed “to-do” list not only to the federal ministries but the states too, along with deadlines for each task to be achieved.
| Ease of Doing Business Indicators 1-3 | Steps to Be Taken | Challenge |
| Indicator 1: Starting a Business | Integration of: director ID number; name availability of company, payment of registration fees & stamp duties.Removal of: Requirement of company seal; minimum paid-up capital for a company. Single window clearances online for registration and tracking of applications | Amending the Companies Act 2013 – expected to be done in March 2015 |
| Indicator 2: Dealing with Construction Permits | Deputation of officers in municipal corporations for speedy processes.Consolidation of building laws at national and state levels. Waiving: Inspection for low-risk buildings; and NOC from Airports Authority of India for buildings outside notified areas.
| 4 Key Ministries and the states will need to be aligned |
| Indicator 3: Getting Electricity | Submission of online application; fixing a week’s time for inspection; preparation of estimates.Time-bound inspection for installation and connection. Allowing 3rd party certification of installation. Waiving pollution control certificates as a prerequisite for electricity connections.
| Ministry of Power has to take the states on board to get desired results |
