India expresses reservations on World Bank's 'Doing Business' report

NEW DELHI: India has expressed reservations on World Bank's 'Doing Business Report' where it has been ranked 172 amongst 190 countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.

Government is aware of the latest analysis of the World Bank's report in which India has been ranked 172 amongst 190 countries surveyed in the matter of paying taxes.

"We have some reservations about the methodology of the assessment parameters in this regard," he said during Question Hour, amidst noisy protests by Opposition.

Jaitley said the government has been taking a number of steps to ease tax compliance for tax payers. "We are constanly striving to improve our position," he said.

The Minister said the Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC) in its four reports had made useful recommendations on issues like customer focus, structure and governance, dispute management, key internal processes, use of information and communication technology.

Other issues are information exchange, revenue forecasting, predictive analysis and research for tax governance, customs capacity building, impact assessment, expanding the base, compliance management etc.

Jaitley said on the recommendations given by TARC, 130 recommendations have already been implemented whereas 173 recommendations relating to CBDT are acceptable with modification and 95 recommendations with regard to CBEC are at different stages of implementation/ examination.

However, 29 recommendations for CBDT and 39 of the CBEC have not been found acceptable after due examination, he said.