Executive Summary:
The Indian government has undertaken initiatives since 2014 to improve the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) environment, including in rural and underdeveloped areas. These initiatives aim to attract investments, stimulate economic growth, and foster a business-friendly regulatory framework. The government utilizes strategies such as simplification, rationalization, digitization, and decriminalization to reduce the compliance burden on businesses and citizens. The Business Ready (BReady) project is an international benchmarking project that assesses the business and investment climate of economies worldwide, and the EoDB initiatives are in line with this project.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Ease of Doing Business Initiatives:**
* The government has been actively working since 2014 to improve the EoDB environment across India.
* Initiatives include the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP), the BusinessReady assessment, Jan Vishwas, and Reducing Compliance Burden on Businesses and Citizens.
* **Regulatory Compliance Burden (RCB) Initiative:**
* DPIIT collaborates with various Ministries, Departments, and States/UTs to reduce the compliance burden.
* Strategies include simplification of procedures, rationalization of laws, digitization of processes, and decriminalization of minor offences.
* The Regulatory Compliance Portal tracks actions taken to reduce compliance burden.
* Over 45,000 compliances have been reduced through self-assessment initiatives.
* **Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP):**
* Launched in 2014 by DPIIT to reduce obstacles and make regulatory processes more efficient.
* States are assessed based on evidence and user feedback.
* Six editions of BRAP have been completed, and the seventh edition (BRAP 2024) is in progress.
* **Single Window Systems (SWS):**
* The Department promotes the adoption of SWS by States and Union Territories.
* 30 States and UTs have functional Single Window Systems.
* SWS serves as a single point for investors to apply for approvals, track applications, and access regulatory information.
* The system is aligned with the National Single Window System (NSWS) through API integration.
* **Jan Vishwas Act:**
* The Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Act, 2023, decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts.
* DPIIT is undertaking an analysis of criminal provisions under the Jan Vishwas 2.0 initiative.
* **Business Ready (BReady):**
* The World Bank Group has replaced the Doing Business Report with the Business Ready (BReady) project.
* BReady aims to improve the business environment for private sector development.
* **Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):**
* Data on the total number of major business corporations who have invested in India due to improvement in the ease of doing business is not maintained by the Department.
* Details of 10 major foreign collaborators which have invested in India in last five financial years are attached at Annexure I
* Details of total FDI inflow In USD Million in last five financial years is attached at Annexure II
* Total FDI inflow was USD 81,043 Million for FY 2024-25, USD 71,279 Million for FY 2023-24, USD 71,355 Million for FY 2022-23, USD 84,835 Million for FY 2021-22 and USD 81,973 Million for FY 2020-21.
Impact Analysis:
* **Businesses:**
* *Impact:* Reduced regulatory burden, streamlined processes, and improved access to approvals and information.
* *Action Required:* Utilize Single Window Systems, comply with simplified procedures, and take advantage of decriminalized provisions.
* **Citizens:**
* *Impact:* Reduced compliance burden and improved ease of living.
* *Action Required:* Be aware of simplified procedures and reduced compliance requirements.
* **State Governments/Union Territories:**
* *Impact:* Need to implement and align with central government initiatives, including BRAP and SWS.
* *Action Required:* Adopt Single Window Systems, implement reforms under BRAP, and reduce compliance burdens.
* **Ministries/Departments:**
* *Impact:* Need to simplify procedures, rationalize laws, digitize processes, and decriminalize minor offences.
* *Action Required:* Implement actions identified through self-assessment and tracked on the Regulatory Compliance Portal.
Key Entities Referenced
Ease of Doing Business: A Government of India initiative to improve the business environment, attract investments, and stimulate economic growth.
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT): The department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for initiatives like BRAP and reducing compliance burden.
Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP): An initiative by DPIIT to reduce obstacles and make clearance and regulatory processes more transparent and efficient for businesses.
Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Act, 2023: A Central Government act that decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts to enhance Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India specifically mentioned in the policy document as being involved in Ease of Doing Business initiatives.
Business Ready (BReady): An international benchmarking project by the World Bank Group to assess the business and investment climate of economies worldwide, replacing the Doing Business Report.
National Single Window System (NSWS): A single interface promoted by the Department for investors to apply for approvals, track applications, access regulatory information, and fulfil compliance obligations.
SHRI JITIN PRASADA: The Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry who answered the Lok Sabha question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1493.
TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 29TH JULY, 2025.
EASE OF DOING BUSINESS
1493. SHRI PUTTA MAHESH KUMAR:
Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री
(a) whether the Government has undertaken any scheme/initiatives to increase the ease
of doing business in India, especially in rural and under-developed areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the list of such schemes/initiatives, status of
implementation and funding allocated, released and utilised during the last three years,
State-wise manner, including Andhra Pradesh;
(c) the total number of major business corporations who have invested in India due to
improvement in the ease of doing business during the last five years, State-wise
including Andhra Pradesh; and
(d) whether the Government has any proposal to introduce any schemes/initiatives to help
States to increase the ease of doing business in India especially in rural and under-
developed areas, if so, the details thereof , State-wise and if not, reasons therefor?
ANSWER
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (d): Since, year 2014, the Government of India has actively engaged in improving
the Ease of Doing Business environment in the entire country including Andhra
Pradesh. To enhance the business atmosphere in India, attract
investments, stimulate economic growth and to foster a regulatory framework
that is business- friendly, Central Government has taken several initiatives
under the Ease of Doing Business initiative which includes Business Reform
Action Plan (BRAP), the Business-Ready assessment, Jan Vishwas and
Reducing Compliance Burden on Businesses and Citizens.
Under, the Regulatory Compliance Burden (RCB) initiative DPIIT works with
various Ministries, Departments, and States/UTs to reduce the compliance
burden on citizens and businesses. The goal is to enhance Ease of Doing
Business and Ease of Living through four key strategies: Simplification of
procedures, Rationalization of laws, Digitization of processes, and
Decriminalization of minor offences. Regulatory Compliance (RC) Portal has
been developed for tracking action taken by Ministries/ Departments and
States/UTs to reduce compliance burden. Through active self-assessment
initiatives, over 45,000 compliances have been reduced. Among these, 15,898
were simplified, 22,264 digitized, 4,023 decriminalized, and 2,909 redundant
compliances eliminated.BRAP initiative has been launched in 2014 by the Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), this aims to reduce
obstacles and make clearance and regulatory processes more
transparent and efficient, thereby cutting down on time and costs for
businesses. States are assessed based on evidence and user
feedback, ensuring that reforms are effective. So far, six editions of
BRAP (2015, 2016, 2017-18, 2019, 2020, and 2022) have been
completed, and States/UTs have been assessed. The seventh edition,
BRAP 2024, is currently in progress.
To facilitate a single interface for investors, the Department has
promoted the adoption of Single Window Systems (SWS) by States and
Union Territories. As of the latest assessment, 30 States and UTs have
functional Single Window Systems. These digital platforms serve as a
single touch point for investors to apply for approvals, track applications,
access regulatory information, and fulfil compliance obligations.
The implementation of the SWS has helped reduce physical interface,
ensure transparency, and expedite service delivery. The system is
aligned with the National Single Window System (NSWS) through API
integration and is designed to provide seamless data exchange and
lifecycle tracking of applications. DPIIT has issued a detailed guidebook
for States outlining essential modules, technology architecture,
assessment methodology, and implementation templates to ensure
standardization and interoperability.
To enhance Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business, the Central
Government, through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act,
2023, has decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts
administered by 19 Ministries/Departments. To further improve ease of
doing business and ease of living, DPIIT has undertaken an analysis of
various criminal provisions (including both major and minor offences)
across multiple acts under the Jan Vishwas 2.0 initiative.
Under, EoDB rankings published by World Bank Group as Doing
Business Report, India’ ranking has improved by 79 ranks in about 5
years. Last ranking was published in 2019 when India stood at 63; which
was 142nd in 2014. Now, World Bank Group has now done away with
Doing Business Report and has now formulated international
benchmarking project called Business Ready (B-Ready) toassess the
business and investment climate of economies worldwide. B-READY
aims to improve the business environment for private sector
development in each economy around the world. Ease of Doing Business
to reduce regulatory burden on businesses are also in line with B-Ready
project.
Ease of Doing Business initiatives are meant for the entire country,
including rural and under-developed areas. Andhra Pradesh is one
among the first states in the country to complete integration both forward
& reverse integration of the Andhra Pradesh Single Desk Portal with
NSWS. The integrated portal enables applicant to avail state and central
services through one portal.Data on the total number of major business corporations who have
invested in India due to improvement in the ease of doing business is
not maintained by the Department. However, details of 10 major foreign
collaborators which have invested in India in last five financial years is
attached at Annexure I and details of total FDI inflow (In USD Million) in
last five financial years is attached at Annexure IIAnnexure I
Annexure referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred question no. 1493
for 29th July, 2025 regarding Ease of Doing Business
[ Details of 10 Major Foreign Collaborators which have invested in India in last five
financial years
Sr.
Name of Foreign Collaborator
No.
1 Jaadhu Holdings LLC
2 Google International LLC
3 ROBERT BOSCH INTERNATIONALE BETEILIGUNGEN
4 Public Investment Fund
5 MIC Redwood 1 RSC Limited
6 Microsoft Corporation
7 Harmonia Trade and Investment Ltd
8 Omicron Asia Holdings II Pte. Ltd.
9 VEPF VII AIV I LP
10 Platinum Owl C 2018 RSC Limited (acting in its capacity as the trustee of
Platinum Jasmine A 2018 Trust)
*******Annexure II
Annexure referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred question no. 1493
for 29th July, 2025 regarding Ease of Doing Business
Details of total FDI inflow (In USD Million) in India in last five financial years
Total FDI inflow
Financial Year (April –
S. No.
March)
(In USD Million)
1 2020-21 81,973
2 2021-22 84,835
3 2022-23 71,355
4 2023-24 71,279
5 2024-25 81,043
********