Uttar Pradesh aims top slot in ease of doing business ranking

LUCKNOW: After catapulting itself to the second position, Uttar Pradesh is now eyeing the top slot in the State Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) 2019- Ease of Doing Business Ranking, the state's Cabinet Minister Sidharth Nath Singh has said. "The UP government came up with new policies with focus on 'ease of doing business' particularly in food processing, electronics, textiles and pharmaceutical sectors," he said. As a result, the state jumped to number two position, from number 12, in terms of 'ease of doing business' in India, Singh added.
Now that red tapism has been replaced by an atmosphere of red carpet in Uttar Pradesh, the state will soon be ranked number one in India in terms at attracting business, he said.

Singh, who looks after MSME, investment and export departments, was addressing a virtual conference on 'Ontario-Uttar Pradesh Trade and Investment Collaboration Initiative'.

It was organised on Thursday by the UP Chapter of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the PHDCCI said in a press release on Friday.

The minister said trade and investment between Ontario and Uttar Pradesh can be enhanced to great heights in the near future.

The minister spoke about the phenomenal success of the single-window clearance portal of UP -- 'Nivesh Mitra Portal'. Through this, even during the coronavirus pandemic, a number of issues faced by the existing small and medium enterprises and also by new businesses in the state are being resolved, he said.

The portal ensures clearance within 72 hours for setting up any new industry in the state, thereby taking ease of doing business to another commendable level, he said.

Singh also said the state has transformed itself into a great investment destination to many countries and during the period of COVID-19, UP has been able to garner investment proposals worth USD 1.5 billion from 10 countries, including Canada.

PHDCCI Senior Vice-President Pradeep Multani said the state has made its entry into the top ranks of states that have become better destinations to do business recently, taking second position in terms of ease of doing business.

Canada's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedeli said UP is the backbone of India and Ontario sees India as a priority market for doing business and investment.

PHDCCI Secretary General Saurabh Sanyal said that with its strong and highly educated talent pool, Uttar Pradesh can work alongside Canadians to formulate unique solutions around a future that promotes financial technology and other wider technology solutions.

PHDCCI Principal Director Ranjeet Mehta said the objective of the event was to interact with the Canadian industry to create strategic partnership between India and Canada which will contribute to stability and prosperity of both countries in this coronavirus-hit world.

The interactive webinar was attended by over 150 participants from Canada and India comprising of entrepreneurs, startup enterprises, senior industrialists, academicians, students, policy makers and other stakeholders working in this area, the statement added.