Industry ministry targets ease of doing business at district level

NEW DELHI: The commerce and industry ministry has proposed an extensive action plan which include digitisation of land records and online publication of water tariff rates for all types of users to promote ease of doing business at district level.

The recommendations are for different departments and offices at district level, which includes urban local bodies, district magistrate, sub registrar officer/stamps and registration department, Office of Collector, and municipal corporations, according to the draft plan put in public domain for stakeholders' comments.

The ministry has suggested all concerned offices and departments at district level to primarily focus on putting all the relevant information on websites and promoting paperless transactions and digitisation of documents.


According to the recommendations, designing and implementing a system that allows online application submission, payment, tracking and monitoring without the need for a physical touch point would help improve ease of doing business.

"Digitise land transaction deeds of last two years at all subregistrar offices and make the same available on an online system," the DIPP suggested adding land and property tax payment records of last two years also need to be digitised.

The department has recommended reforms in areas including starting a business, urban local body services, land record enabler, property registration, obtaining approval for construction, paying taxes, and paperless courts and law and order.

The other suggestions include designing and implementation of a system to allow for e-filing and e-summons for revenue disputes in revenue courts; and ensuring timelines are followed as mandated by the state government through a notification.

On the issue of access to finance, the DIPP has recommended quarterly meetings under the lead banking schemes, and continuous monitoring of the Credit Deposit Ratio.

These suggestions have been put on public domain for stakeholder views and comments.

Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu has stated that improving business climate at district level would help boost the country's economic growth.