World Bank reviews utility of its ‘Doing Business’ Report

Mr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group has announced the appointment of an independent panel of experts to conduct a review of the World Bank’sDoing Business report. Mr. Arun Maira, Member of The Planning Commission, Govt. of India, has been appointed as one of the ten international experts to this panel. Mr. Trevor Manuel,Minister in charge of the National Planning Commission of South Africa, would chair the panel.The other members include experts from China, Brazil, Germany, UK, and Korea.

Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, welcomed the appointment of Mr. Maira to this Panel to review this important report which has become a measure of a country`s ability to compete and attract investments. Mr. Maira has led the preparation of the 12th Five Year Plan for Industry to accelerate the growth of the Manufacturing sector. TheDoing Businessreport, now in its tenth year of publication, measures and analyzes regulations that apply to small and medium size local businesses in 185 economies.India (which ranks 132nd out of 185 countries in the 2013 edition of this report) needs to improve its regulatory framework to create a favourable business environment. This has been highlighted in the Twelfth Five Year Plan, and a systematic process for improving the effectiveness of business regulations, simultaneously reducing their burden on industry, has been designed and is being recommended to the States and to central ministries.