Online issuance of cards for cos on the anvil

Government is moving towards online issuance of PAN cards to companies as part of several measures to improve country's investment climate as well as its ranking in the ease of doing business index.
Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth today discussed with senior government officials and industry representatives ways to improve investment climate in the country.
They also deliberated upon ways to better India's ranking in the ease of doing business index.
Secretaries from different departments including DIPP, MSME, Labour, and Commerce were present at the meeting along with the members of industry body Ficci, CII and traders.
Later, the Commerce Ministry tweeted that the Revenue Secretary has said the department was "moving towards online issuance of PAN card immediately on issue of registration by Ministry of Corporate Affairs".

Industry leaders said the investment climate is improving and the government is taking several steps to improve ease of doing business in the country.

Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava said all the senior officials heard the views and comments of the industry.
"We are very optimistic. The government has informed us what they are doing (on the matter) and what all steps they would take," he said.
Various issues came up for discussions including skill development and taxation laws, he added.
Ficci President Sidharth Birla said the government is planning several steps to improve India's ranking in the ease of doing business index.

India has been ranked 142 among the 189 countries in the latest report of the World Bank, falling two places from last year's ranking.
The meeting assumes significance as government is aiming to improve India's ranking in the ease of doing business index to 50th position in the next two years.
The Commerce and Industry Ministry has already taken several measures and has proposed a series of steps, including drastically reducing the time for registration of business to one day, single registration of all labour laws and cut in number of taxes to improve ease of doing business in India.

The MSME Secretary said that eight states have already implemented online registration of MSME companies.
Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher said that the ministry would soon introduce a single window clearance system.
There is a need to bring down the number documents for exports to three by 1st April 2015 from nine, Kher said.
"A single labour portal launched providing facility for clearance of 16 labour laws at one place. 6 states have also joined portal," Labour Secretary said.
Representatives of pharmaceutical export promotion council said that regulatory approvals need to be simplified.