Haryana has made a major leap forward from its 14th rank in 2015

CHANDIGARH: Within a year, Haryana has jumped to the 6th place from the 14th spot in rankings for ease of doing business. World Bank along with the Centre's department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) was involved in the process of reviewing the evidence submitted by states and UTs for the rankings.

State officials have approached the Centre to further the state in the top five ranking. “We hope that there will be rank upgrading for every state and we will be in top five states,“ said Devender Singh, state principal secretary (industries and commerce).

Haryana has achieved 96.95 points out of 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation while Madhya Pradesh which is slightly ahead with 97.01% points. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana got first rank in the 2016 amongst all Indian states and UTs.

According to Devender, when the state got

14th rank

in 2015, they had made a target to be in top five. The state made its strategy keeping in 340 action points which were fixed to evaluate the atmosphere for ease of doing business. Principal focus was on providing online facilities for filing application and pa yment of fees for new entrepreneurs. “We made a provision of single roof in place of single window so that a person doesn't have to move from one place to another just to complete formalities for setting up new industries,“ he said.

Devender also said, “If an inspection is conducted, then a notice has to be given to the industry concerned in advance. And the inspection report will be uploaded on the website within 48 hours,“ said the senior IAS officer.

The industry department head said they have developed online portals for related departments including labour and environment apart from framing rules. He said the Punjab and Haryana high court has constituted a separate bench for commercial matters making similar arrangement in district courts also. “Probably, this is the only high court which took such an initiative,“ he said.