India Cuts 47,000+ Compliances as DPIIT Accelerates Ease of Doing Business Reforms

India made one of the most significant improvements globally in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, jumping 79 places in five years.

India has undertaken sweeping regulatory and governance reforms over the last decade to strengthen its business environment, improve investor confidence, and enhance economic competitiveness, the Government informed the Lok Sabha today.

In a written reply, the Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Jitin Prasada, highlighted that India has reduced over 47,000 compliances in the last five years, alongside major reforms under the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) and the Regulatory Compliance Burden (RCB) initiative.

India’s Global Business Ranking Progress

India made one of the most significant improvements globally in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, jumping 79 places in five years. As per the last published Doing Business Report (DBR) in 2019, India ranked 63rd.

Following the discontinuation of the DBR in 2020, the World Bank introduced the B-Ready Assessment framework in 2024, which will evaluate 180+ countries across 10 key areas covering the full business lifecycle:

• Business Entry

• Business Location

• Utility Services

• Labour

• Financial Services

• International Trade

• Taxation

• Dispute Resolution

• Market Competition

• Business Insolvency

India is expected to be included in the Third B-Ready Report, scheduled for release in 2026.

BRAP: India’s Flagship Reform Programme Since 2014

To improve the overall investment climate, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) launched the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) in 2014.

BRAP focuses on:

• Streamlining regulations

• Reducing compliance burden

• Digitizing business services

• Enhancing transparency and accountability

Key reforms include:

• Single Window Clearance Systems

• Simplified building permits

• Improved inspection mechanisms

• Online approvals and renewals

• Faster utility connections

So far, seven editions of BRAP have been completed (2015, 2016, 2017–18, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2024), with States and Union Territories assessed on reform implementation.

Over 9,700 reforms have been carried out across States/UTs. The seventh edition, BRAP 2024, is currently underway.

Regulatory Compliance Burden Initiative: 47,000+ Rules Reduced

Under the RCB initiative, launched in 2020, Central Ministries/Departments and States/UTs undertook self-identification exercises to remove outdated, overlapping, and redundant compliances.

As a result, more than 47,000 compliances have been reduced in the last five years:

• 16,109 compliances simplified

• 22,287 compliances digitized

• 4,623 compliances decriminalized

• 4,270 compliances eliminated entirely

RCB+ Harmonisation Across States

To reduce duplication across jurisdictions, DPIIT launched RCB+, focusing on 23 commonly implemented Acts across States/UTs.

Out of 6,262 identified compliances, 4,846 compliances have already been reduced, enabling harmonisation and consistency in regulatory frameworks nationwide.

Decriminalisation Through Jan Vishwas Reforms

A major pillar of India’s Ease of Doing Business reforms has been the decriminalisation of minor business offences.

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, passed by Parliament in August 2023, decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments.

The Act introduced measures such as:

• Removal of imprisonment clauses

• Conversion of offences into monetary penalties

• Compounding provisions for minor violations

Jan Vishwas Bill 2025: Next Wave of Reforms

Building on the 2023 Act, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 12 August 2025 and introduced in the Lok Sabha on 18 August 2025.

The Bill is currently under examination by a Select Committee chaired by Shri Tejasvi Surya.

The proposed reforms cover:

• 16 Central Acts

• 10 Ministries/Departments

• 355 provisions proposed for amendment

  • 288 provisions to be decriminalised (Ease of Doing Business)

  • 67 provisions to improve Ease of Living

National Single Window System: Digital Investor Facilitation

To further streamline approvals, DPIIT operationalised the National Single Window System (NSWS), providing businesses with a unified platform for clearances and regulatory permissions.

Currently:

• 32 Central Ministries/Departments

• 33 States/UTs

have been integrated with NSWS.

The platform offers access to:

• 300+ Central approvals

• 3,000+ State-level approvals

Businesses can track applications via the Investor Dashboard, supported by helpline services and daily grievance redress mechanisms.

Strengthening India as an Investment Destination

The Government has reiterated its commitment to building an enabling regulatory ecosystem through reforms spanning:

• Labour

• Environment

• Land administration

• Taxation

• Digital governance

These measures have significantly reduced turnaround time, compliance costs, and regulatory uncertainty for enterprises.

With BRAP, RCB, NSWS, and business law decriminalisation, India continues to position itself as a globally competitive and investor-friendly economy ahead of the upcoming B-Ready Assessment 2026.