• Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, released the final rankings of States in Ease of Doing Business.
• The top rankers are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Haryana. Jharkhand and Gujarat stood fourth and fifth respectively.

• DIPP, in collaboration with the World Bank, conducts this annual reform exercise for all states and Union territories under the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP). 
• The assessment under the BRAP 2017 is based on a combined score consisting of ‘reform evidence score’ that is based on evidence uploaded by states and Union territories.
• It also take into account the ‘feedback score’ that is based on response garnered from the actual users of the services provided to the businesses.
• The aim of this exercise is to improve delivery of various Central Government regulatory functions and services in an efficient, effective and transparent manner.
• States and UTs have conducted reforms to ease their regulations and systems in areas such as labour, environmental clearances, single window system, construction permits, contract enforcement, registering property and inspections.
• States and UTs have also enacted Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act to enforce the timelines on registrations and approvals.

PIB