As the union budget is nearing, the industry body CII on Sunday presented a 10-point agenda to promote ease of doing business reforms. Among them they stressed for the expansion of the ambit of the national single window system(NSWS) portal and revamp of the alternative dispute resolution(ADR) system to minimise tax disputes. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee highlighted these points as key priorities to drive economic growth and job creation.

10-point agenda for reforms

Single-window approvals: CII called for all central, state, and local regulatory approvals to be integrated through the National Single Window System (NSWS). This according to them it will ensure transparency and faster clearances.

Time-bound services: For this CII suggest of introducing a legislation mandating public authorities to deliver timely services along with the grievance redressal with deemed approval if timelines are breached.

Dispute resolution: The body stressed for enhancing the court capacity, expanding alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce back logs.

Streamlined Environmental Compliance: Relevant provisions of the Water Act, 1974, and the Air Act, 1981, can be incorporated into the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, to centralise air and water pollution regulations.

Land access: The sixth point stated that easy access to land is important to facilitate new or expanding businesses. The initiative recommends incentivizing states to digitize land records and integrate them into a National Land Bank.

Labor reforms: scope of the Shram Suvidha Portal, which currently facilitates integrated compliances in just a few select central Acts, needs to be expanded to function as a centralised portal for all central and state labour laws compliances.

Trade facilitation: Enhancing the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program by making it more accessible and increasing benefits, particularly for MSMEs, could significantly ease trade operations.

Tax litigation: Addressing tax pendency by strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms- Advance Pricing Agreements and Dispute Resolution Schemes.

Metrology rules alignment: trade facilitation where allied legal metrology rules should be in sync with International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) for declarations on retail products for imports.

Supporting industries: Allocating dedicated central budget support to incentivize states to adopt reforms and integrate systems.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) emphasized that implementing these measures would not only enhance ease of doing business but also attract higher investments, fostering a strong and sustainable environment for economic growth.

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