MANU/PIBU/1053/2022

Department/Board : Press Information Bureau

Date : 23.03.2022

Ease of Doing Business

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), in coordination with Central Ministries/Departments, States and Union Territories (UTs), has spearheaded various reforms to improve business regulatory environment in the country. On the lines of annual assessment done by the World Bank for its Doing Business Report (DBR), DPIIT spearheads a dynamic reform exercise called Business Reforms Action Plan, which ranks all the States and UTs in the country based on implementation of designated reform parameters. The focus of the reforms has been on streamlining the existing regulations and processes and eliminating unnecessary requirements and procedures. The Action Plan covers number of reform areas such as Investment Enablers, Online Single Window System, Land administration and Transfer of Land and Property, Construction Permits Enablers, Labour Regulation Enablers, Environment Registration Enablers, Inspection Enablers, Paying Taxes, Obtaining Utility Permits, etc.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has taken several initiatives towards simplification of Labour Laws for ease of doing business. The Government has notified four Labour Codes, namely, the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 by simplifying, amalgamating and rationalizing the relevant provisions of 29 Central Labour Laws.

Through Labour Codes provisions have been made for one registration for an establishment instead of multiple registrations, one license and one return in place of multiple licenses and returns.

Shram Suvidha Portal (SSP) is a major IT initiative of the Ministry, towards ease of doing business and reducing the complexities in labour law compliance.

Department of Justice (DoJ) and Department of Legal Affairs have taken following measures for timely disposal of commercial cases which promote Ease of doing Business:

1. The Commercial Courts Act, 2015 has been enacted to deal specifically with commercial disputes in India. It was amended in 2018, providing for the constitution of commercial courts at the district level and Commercial Division in all the High Courts. To streamline their functioning, the pecuniary value of commercial cases which can be entertained by the commercial courts has been reduced to Rs. 3 lakh from earlier Rs. 1 crore. The Commercial Courts Act, 2015 is administered by the Department of Legal Affairs.

2. Designated Special Courts for hearing Infrastructure projects related disputes have been set up in 23 High Courts alongwith Special Commercial Benches in High Courts for dealing with high value commercial disputes i.e. above Rs. 500 crores have been set up in 8 High Courts.