NOT Easy to Do Business
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| # | Submitted | User | IP address | It was | Sector / Industry | State / UT | City | Response-time of officials | Number of documents to be submitted | Availability of information about the process | Overall Rating | It was an attempt to | Other | The problem was | Other cause | Details of experience(desc) | Advice for others | Share my story with | Name | Contact no | Privacy Policy | Contact me | Display it | |
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| 47 | 28 Nov 2016 - 12:47 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Media | Delhi | New Delhi | 3/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 | Register the business | Submitting the same document to different departments |
I did not know where do we start. The whole process took me about fifteen days, just to register a sole proprietorship. Now, I know it may not sound like a lot, but it is a lot when one circles a government office for two weeks, every single day. Every other day, they would ask me for a different document. Then, they would direct me to another desk, where the same procedure was followed. I was never asked for a bribe, but in retrospect, I wouldn't have minded if I paid a few hundreds here and there, if that meant my work would get done faster. There isn't even a proper parking space outside the offices. Thank god for Uber! One of the worst things about making rounds of these offices was that you had to wait there until your number or name is called for. I remember staying hungry for the first day. From the next day, my mother sent a tiffin with me! A lot of other people brought some food as well, so it was pretty apparent that they were accustomed to such a system. Lastly, I wish the system required less paper - not only for convenience, but also as a concern for the environment. It creates unnecessary hassles and wastage. How about starting an app, on which you can scan and directly send your documents? I think it would make everyone's work a lot more easier. |
Take loads of copies of all your documents when you go. Carry food. Try not to bribe them, in spite of how alluring it may seem! | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 7767021676 | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 32 | 16 Nov 2016 - 17:56 | Anonymous (not verified) | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Software | Delhi | Delhi | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
Register the business Pay taxes File returns under labour laws, environmental laws, tax laws, etc. Other |
Acquiring another business | Submitting the same document to different departments |
I had a difficult time starting my software business in Delhi. I didn’t have to pay a bribe to register a Pvt. Ltd Company but had to pay a bribe to complete the registration of a proprietorship. There is no clarity on taxation. For example, when you pay someone for their services you have to deduct 10% TDS. I had no idea of any sorts if that person is Amazon or a MNC who have their offices in India and if I had availed their services did I need to deduct 10% TDS. Amazon demanded a full payment. I contacted a dozen charted accountants and even a friend of mine who is in the Indian Revenue Service. None of them had a clue. But all of them suggested paying TDS to be on a safer side. So I had to pay the full amount to Amazon and on the top of that 10% to the dear Government of India. There are so many scenarios where there is no clarity at all. Investment laws are a total mess. God help you if you ever receive a FDI. I received it once only to the return the amount of Rs. 5 lakhs. This is because the amount of running about I would have to do was not worth the amount. The legal system is terrible. If I may say, it is effectively a joke. An acquisition of one my products fell through because the acquirer did not want to make disputes subject to the Indian jurisdiction in the contract. In the acquirer’s own words – “the Indian legal system isn’t held in very high regard here” (in Australia). There are high costs involved in doing business especially in India. My gateway charges a 5% premium (so a 3% + a 5%) for the Indian Businesses because of the increased cost of operations. So an American Company charges only 3% whereas I have no option but to settle at 8%. There are innumerable other hassles as well. It is like a death by giving thousand cuts. |
Even in the software industry, regulations are very high. Be patient and prepared to wait for a while to get through. |
Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 02026634513 | director@siu.in | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||
| 30 | 16 Nov 2016 - 17:47 | Anonymous (not verified) | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Restaurant | Maharashtra | Mumbai | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
Register the business Get registration and licenses under labour laws |
Can’t find information |
I had a lot of problems starting my restaurant in Mumbai. It was not easy for me to start my business. I tried to register the property, get permissions and licenses under the labour laws. My restaurant serves alcohol and even has hookah. So for me it was all the more difficult. I had to run from pillar to post to get my permits in place. I also had to pay bribe in order ‘to get things done’ at a faster pace. Apart from that once my restaurant started, I had to tip off the policemen in order to keep my business going. Or else for whatever stupid reason and probably an invalid one, my restaurant would have been shut down permanently. This is my experience in Mumbai and I am not aware of other cities in India. The customers, vendors and clients are also at times indifferent. They don’t feel any remorse in wasting someone’s time, energy and indulge in petty cheating at the cost of others. I am sure such instances take place abroad as well but the magnitude would definitely be significantly lesser. |
Be ready to grease the officials’ palms if you do not want any hindrances in the procedure of getting your business set up, registered and inspected. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | rayleigh17@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 85 | 16 Dec 2016 - 17:13 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Easy to Do Business | Transport | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Register the business Pay taxes |
I have a transport company of my own, and has been successfully running for nearly two years now. The setting-up took a bit of time, especially since the Himachal Pradesh police is a little prudent about your permits and such documents. But once I got it, it was a smooth sailing. I would say having someone who has the knowledge of the field is necessary and important- it helps to have someone who has established their business in the field. In my case, I had an uncle in the same transport business, so that helped me out immensely. |
Before starting a business, make sure to have a chat with someone who has already established themselves in the industry. They will tell you the potential dangers involved in setting up your business, and aid you if you need anything. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | - | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||||
| 10 | 13 Oct 2016 - 17:19 | Anonymous (not verified) | 117.197.237.27 | Not Easy to Do Business | Consutling, Project Mgmt | Odisha | Bhubaneswar | 1/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | Other | Register to practice | Delay by the department even though I completed the procedure | I have applied to register as an approved Engineering Consultant to Bhubaneswar Development Authority almost 2 years ago and I am yet to hear from them. There has been no progress on my application as of yet. | I am clueless to give any advice to other entrepreneurs. | Senior Department Officials | Dr Krishan Kumar | 916742396124 | dhanadam@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||
| 50 | 5 Dec 2016 - 18:26 | Prashant | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Retail | Delhi | New Delhi | 4/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 |
Register the business Register property Get permits and licenses under environmental laws Get building plan approved Get electricity connection Get water connection |
Confusing laws that say different things |
I have been running this shop in Jungpura for fifteen months now, after I moved to Delhi on the recommendation of my cousin. I had a big shop in Baroda, which I sold and came here, since the profit margins are better. Buying the place itself was not much of an issue. My cousin had scouted the location beforehand, and found a nice accommodation for me. Back in Baroda, I had a bigger shop, but it was unregistered. So I wanted to get everything done properly this time. I undertook various permissions, because I had a wide list of requirements for the store. The first day, I was made to run around a little, but found the people responsible for the various departments. The next day, I got my two sons to help me out- they had to miss a couple of days of work, but then, we were looking at the long-term profit here! I am not aware of the rankings and numbers you mention [about Ease of Doing Business], but I can tell you the ground reality. Is it difficult to start a new store? Absolutely. There are a lot of documents that are required for the procedure, but thankfully Aadhar completes most requirements. The officials were really nice people, and understood my plight as a newcomer trying to establish business in this town. They always told me the precise number of documents to bring, and occasionally gave me a cup of tea. By my experience, I know that the people themselves aren't bad, but the system itself is crippled. The officials are given a bad name for being very corrupt and inefficient, but I firmly believe that they are good people, who actually want to help you out set up your business. However, they face the same issues as you - they are bound by the same system as everyone else is. |
The officials are your friends. I saw a lot of people shout at them, so I recommend you to treat them like humans. Do not go armed with hostility, and I am sure they will get work done faster. | Both | Jimit Shah | 8460748664 | abcd@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | |||
| 56 | 9 Dec 2016 - 16:30 | Anonymous (not verified) | 42.106.53.253 | Not Easy to Do Business | Medical | Gujarat | Vadodara | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | Register the business | Can’t find information |
I have had 5 years of experience of helping my cousin in his medical shop In Vadodra itself. And I thought of opening my own. But it was not an easy task. I could not find any information about how do I go about it. It was quite difficult and a task to get my business registered. I had to consult a third party despite of having 5 years of experience. |
Think twice before you start a new business. Think whether you get profit from it. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 8141295566 | omsaimedical28@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Keep me updated about responses to my report and experience. | Yes | ||
| 19 | 16 Nov 2016 - 14:38 | Anonymous (not verified) | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Hospitality/ Tourism | Goa | Anjuna | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
Register the business Register property Get permits and licenses under environmental laws Get building plan approved Get electricity connection Other |
Tourism and F&B licenses | Can’t find information | I have recently started a new business in Goa in the hospitality and tourism sector. I tried to register a new business, register property, get permissions and licenses under environment laws, get my building’s plan approved, get electricity connection and tourism, food and beverages licenses. The paperwork that was required for getting licenses is efficient and streamlined but the procedures and processes involved in getting these licenses are very complicated. The procedures are not clearly defined and one can easily get confused since there is a lot of contradicting information. The government officials are themselves confused and do not have any sort of clarity since the procedures keep on changing frequently. All of this leads to delay at the cost of the citizen’s time, effort and money. |
My advice to other entrepreneurs is that - you should start all the procedures as soon as possible as the time taken to obtain licenses can vary from a few days to even a few months. I am of the opinion that if you have a certain kind of rapport with certain officials or “know” a few of them it tends be of great help in getting your licenses on time. |
Both Keep it Anonymous |
Anonymous | NA | anonymous@anonymous.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Yes | ||
| 25 | 16 Nov 2016 - 17:18 | Anonymous (not verified) | 203.122.16.122 | Not Easy to Do Business | Social Sector,Non-profit | Karnataka | Bengaluru | 2/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 |
Register the business Trade outside state/ country |
They keep asking me to submit some new document every time |
I helped to register a non-governmental organisation in the social sector in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The number of documents required to do the work was boggling, and very troublesome. It was quite a task to get a VAT certificate for our social enterprise. It took close to a year, as the process was lengthy and the officials kept asking for newer documents at every visit. |
An advice to younger entrepreneurs would be that if you are not ready to bribe the officials, you should be ready to go through a lengthy process to get necessary certificates and documents. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 9916967853 | nitin.anjaneya@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Keep me updated about responses to my report and experience. | Yes | ||
| 86 | 19 Dec 2016 - 20:15 | Anonymous (not verified) | 120.88.39.18 | Not Easy to Do Business | Construction Chemicals | Maharashtra | Mumbai | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | Register the business | Other | Being a non-technical person. | I I did not know abc of construction chemicals. But I was 100% confident that it was badly needed in India. I worked with the relevant manufacturer and gained experience in its application and technical aspects. I started trading of these items and developed intimacy with the users. I surveyed their problems and needs, participated in technical seminars, borrowed money and got factory premises on rent. Only then could I start manufacturing, hire technical consultants. I implemented emotional intelligent marketing rather than intelligent marketing and maintained public relations with family members of the buyers. I never compromised on quality and kept on upgrading to international standards. I adhered to uniform pricing all over India and delivery schedules. I treated workers of my factory on par with family members, always gave credit of my success to them and never depreciated their human values. Not knowing anything about construction chemicals made it more difficult for me to start but also made me learn a lot through the journey. It was a tough time starting a business from the scratch. Registering my business was not an easy task. It took longer than expected to get started. Patience is what you need. If you have the capital you could hire someone to get your registration or any other formalities to be completed before you start. | Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof. Sky is not the limit, but it is just a beginning. Never think of short term gain. I studied lives of people who failed miserably but reached at the climax of their fame. Patience is what you need before and also after you start your business. Also maintain the integrity and do not forget your struggling period when you started your business. A degree, I term myself, " master of common sense " is constantly followed. | Keep it Anonymous | Anonymous | 9702230404 | servoshield@gmail.com | I have read and I agree with the Privacy Policy mentioned below | Keep me updated about responses to my report and experience. | Yes |