Industries Minister P. Rajeeve receiving the BRAP- 22 award from Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Thursday.

Kerala has emerged the country leader in two categories of business-centric reforms and seven categories of citizen-centric reforms in the ranking of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The rankings were announced at the Conference of State Industries Ministers held in New Delhi on Thursday.

Industries Minister P.Rajeeve received the Business Reforms Action Plan ’22 (BRAP 22) award of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) from Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal at the conference. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada was present.

The business-centric reforms in which Kerala emerged top performer are facilitating utility permits for business and paying taxes. The citizen-centric reforms in which Kerala was adjudged as the top achiever are: Online single window system, the process of issuing various certificates with ease provided by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), issuance of certificates by the Department of Revenue, providing utility permits, public distribution system (Department of Food and Civil Supplies), improvements in transport sector and running employment exchanges.

The feedback was conducted on the existing businesses in the State and Kerala got more than 95% positive responses in these nine reform areas.

“The rankings clearly acknowledge that Kerala has made great strides in ‘Ease Of Doing Business’ by building an ecosystem that is conducive for a wide range of enterprises to thrive,” Mr. Rajeeve said. “The State has emerged as top achiever in these vital categories due to the policies and effective implementation down to the level of local bodies,” he added.

The State also made a mark in prompt delivery of services to citizens by upgrading the whole system by leveraging cutting-edge technology including digital tools, he said.

Principal Secretary (Industries and Commerce) APM Mohammed Hanish, Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) S Harikishore and KSIDC General Manager Varghese Malakaran were also present on the occasion.