NEW DELHI: In a competitive race sparked by the Modi government , states are rushing in measures to climb up the firstever ease of doing business charts being compiled by the Centre.States are doing their best to cut down on red tape and simplify compliance procedures to appear more business-friendly than rivals to attract investments.While Maharashtra has reduced the number of procedures and time in getting electricity connection, Punjab has exempted 131 type of industries from pollution consent requirement. The rankings, on the lines of the one compiled by the World Bank , will be put out by the end of May.“We can already sense competition among states with most announcing a slew of measures to simplify procedures, be it Uttarakhand , Karnrataka, Punjab or Gujarat,” said a government official.“The idea is that Centre and states need to synchronise their efforts to make India an easier place to do business. Real action lies in the states,” the official added.India slipped two spots to 142 in the World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking in 2015 out of 189 countries. The Narendra Modi government is trying to break into the top 50 in the next few years. Puducherry has introduced single completion-cum-occupancy certificate whereas Chhattisgarh has introduced online consent monitoring and management system for grant of environment clearances. Delhi and Maharashtra have allowed online registration of shops and establishments.In the first of its kind exercise in India, the department of industrial policy and promotion has sent a list of 300 questions to all states and Union Territories for the ranking process, based on 98 ease of doing business parameters on which they will be ranked. The move is aimed to make the ‘Make in India’ campaign create a sense of competition among states which will result in a manufacturing revival in the economy. The questions are objective in nature, leaving little scope for ambiguous responses.“It is a simple questionnaire where states have to respond in a simple yes or no, whether you have achieved that or not. The non-performers will be at the bottom of the ranking and the state bureaucracy will be blamed for it,” said the official.The parameters relate to developing a land bank, registration of property, starting a business, construction permits, environment compliances, etc., with timelines spread to December 31.Most states are working to reduce compliance requirements. Puducherry has done away with pollution control committee’s inspection for green category industries.The manufacturing sector is estimated to have expanded by 6.8% in 2014-15. DIPP in its communications to the states had recommended a single-window online mechanism by May 31, to allow for registration, application, tracking and monitoring of application, which will encourage young professionals to turn entrepreneurs.It also asked states to develop a land bank by June end to ensure ready land availability for the industry.The Central government too has taken a series of measures in the past few months towards ease of doing business, including cutting down of export and import documents to three, integrating 14 government services on an online single window portal called eBiz and creation of an investor facilitation cell to assist and handhold investors. The process of applying for environment and forest clearances has been made online.