Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is the Nodal Department for coordinating the initiatives under Ease of Doing Business which are aimed at creating a conducive business environment. Some of the steps taken by DPIIT in enhancing ease of doing business are as under:

India ranks 63rd in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report (DBR), 2020 published in October, 2019 before its discontinuation by the World Bank. India’s rank in the DBR improved from 142^nd in 2014 to 63^rdin 2019, registering a jump of 79 ranks in a span of 5 years.

DPIIT is spearheading the dynamic reform exercise of Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP), wherein all the States and UTs in the country are assessed on the basis of reforms implemented by them on designated parameters. The focus of the reforms has been on streamlining the existing regulations and processes and eliminating unnecessary requirements and procedures. BRAP covers reform areas such as Information Wizard, Single Window Systems, Online Building Permission System, Inspection Reforms, Labour Reforms, etc. BRAP exercise has helped in building knowledge base as well as instilling competition within states/ UT’s in improving their business environment.

DPIIT also coordinates with Ministries/Departments and States/UTs for initiatives to reduce compliance burden on citizen and business activities. The objective of this exercise is to improve Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living by Simplifying, Rationalizing, Digitizing and Decriminalizing Government to Business and Citizen Interfaces across Ministries/States/UTs.

The key focus areas of the initiative are:

(i) Simplification of procedures related to applications, renewals, inspections, filing records, etc.

(ii) Rationalization of legal provisions, by repealing, amending or omission of redundant laws,

(iii) Digitization of government processes by creating online interfaces, and

(iv) Decriminalization of minor, technical or procedural defaults.

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 was passed in Lok Sabha on 27th July 2023 and Rajya Sabha on 2nd August 2023. The Assent of the President was received on 11th August 2023. The Act decriminalized 183 provisions of 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments.

The Act has helped in rationalizing criminal provisions and ensuring that citizens, businesses and the government departments operate without fear of imprisonment for minor, technical or procedural defaults. The Act has paved the way for rationalizing laws, eliminating barriers and bolstering growth of businesses.

This information has been provided by the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Shri Som Parkash in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Decriminalization of minor defaults shifts regulatory enforcement toward administrative remedies, simplifying compliance and enabling business activity. DPIIT coordinates initiatives to enhance Ease of Doing Business by streamlining regulatory interfaces, reducing compliance burdens, and promoting digitization and decriminalization. The Business Reforms Action Plan assesses subnational reform implementation across measures such as Single Window Systems, online permissions, inspection and labour reforms, focusing on simplification of procedures, rationalization of laws, creation of online interfaces, and removal of penal consequences for minor technical defaults. The Jan Vishwas Amendment exemplifies legislative decriminalization across central statutes to shift towards administrative responses and enable business growth.