How govt plans to break into top 50

New Delhi: Even as it celebrates the jump in ease of doing business rankings, the government has started chalking out the strategy to move up further with a focus on improving logistics, port infrastructure and connectivity as well as steps related to enforcement of contract.

Already, the DIPP has got the ministry of corporate affairs to start stakeholder consultation on further simplifying the process of incorporation of companies and name reservation. Similarly, the commerce department is putting a lot of emphasis on improving logistics, which is crucial not just for export and import but also for reducing the infra cost for

The govt will focus on improving logistics, port infra & connectivity as well as steps related to the enforcement of contract

movement of goods produced and sold within the country, sources said. “The improved rankings have only strengthened our resolve to muscle our way into the elite group of top 50 countries,” said a high-ranking government officer.

While the Centre has to work with the states on easing the process for obtaining construction permits, ministries have been asked to move swiftly to work on matters falling under their domain so that PM Narendra Modi’s target for India to break into the top-50 group is achieved quickly. This will be in addition to the positive feedback that the government is hoping to receive for the introduction of goods and services tax and a large number of the 122 initiatives that have already been initiated.

The government reckons that despite “partisan quibbles” over the improvement in the ease of doing business ranking, which saw India jump 30 places to the 100th position, the issue of cutting red tape has taken centre stage and all political parties will have to move in that direction. In fact, the race to attract investments — both domestic and foreign — has already driven states to move faster with changes in rules so that decision-making is faster. The state rankings, launched by the Modi government in 2015, too has done its bit to drive changes in rules in the states.

“It is no longer a matter to be debated just among secretaries and in conferences of business chambers. What you do to attract investment and help generate wealth is now a matter of national discourse and governments and parties will from now on increasingly be judged on how they fare on this count. This itself is a big achievement of this government,” said a senior government functionary.