Finance Minister Arun Jaitley highlighted India’s resilience in the midst of the global slowdown and assured foreign investors of a stable policy regime.

He also assured them of further reforms, including the passage of the  Constitution Amendment Bill for the  Goods and Services Tax and the  Insolvency Code  in the forthcoming  Budget Session. “We are working on a competitive indirect tax regime... the law has been cleared by one  House of Parliament. It has been supported by most political parties and I am sure others will also see reason and the law will become a reality soon,” he said at the inaugural address of the India Investment Summit 2016.

The commerce ministry will soon approach various ministries to further improve the ease of doing businesses and the competitiveness of exporters, as it desperately seeks to find ways to boost exports that have contracted for a 13th straight month through December.

After a meeting with a dozen-odd export promotion councils (EPCs) that last over two hours, commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: “We will follow up with ministries of environment, textiles and finance as well as customs authorities for easing out few more things related to export promotion so that there is an ease of doing business from the exporters point of view.

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan stated that it will take steps towards Ease Of Doing Business. These measures will create an enabling framework for receiving foreign venture capital, differing contractual structures embedded in investment instruments, deferring receipt of considerations for transfer of ownership, facilities for escrow arrangements and simplification of documentation and reporting procedures.

The limit on sweat equity for Startups be raised to 50% from 25% of paid up capital , improving the incentives for innovators and giving a boost to the startup initiative.

A committee set up by the government to review issues arising out of implementation of the Companies Act, 2013 has suggested changes to improve ease of doing business , encourage startups and harmonise startups.

The Commerce Ministry today asked exporters to come up with specific suggestions which could be taken up with various ministries, including finance, to improve ease of doing business and boost waning exports.

The Commerce Ministry today said it will work with various departments including environment, textiles finance to boost exports and ease out few more things to improve ease of doing business in the country.

After the meeting, the minister said: "The Commerce Ministry will follow up with environment, textiles, customs and finance for easing out of few more things related to export promotion so that there is an ease of doing business from the exporters point of view."

A government-appointed panel  suggested nearly 100 amendments to the new Companies Act to make it easier to do business in  India, including for simpler laws for incorporating a company and for raising funds, as also for insider trading and dealings with top executives.

The Ministry of  Corporate Affairs Ministry has decided to launch a public consultation process on the suggested changes and has invited comments from all concerned stakeholders till February 15 in this regard.

Industrialists planning to set up industry in Maharashtra can now apply online for consent to establish and to operate.

As part of its efforts for ease of doing business in the state, environment minister Ramdas Kadam on Monday launched the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board's web portal ec-mpcb.in where applications can be submitted with the requisite documents. The outer time-limit for granting permissions is 60 days.