India ranked 77th World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index

India ranked 77th among 190 countries by leapfrogging 23 ranks in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business (EODB) 2018 rankings.

• In the 2017 rankings, India ranked 100th and had jumped 30 places.
• In 2016, 2015 and 2014, India had not improved much and was placed at 130, 131 and 134, respectively, in ranking.
• EODB 2018 was topped by New Zealand (consecutive for third time), followed by Singapore, Denmark, and Hong Kong. 
• US was placed at eighth and China was ranked 46th while Pakistan is placed at 136th.

About Ease of Doing Business Index:

• The index ranks 190 countries based on 10 indicators across the life-cycle of a business, from "starting a business" to "resolving insolvency".
• These 10 indicators are: Starting business, Dealing with construction permits, Getting electricity, Registering property, Getting credit, Protecting minority investors, Paying taxes, Trading across borders, Enforcing contracts and Resolving insolvency.
• Each one of these indicators carry equal weightage.
• In case of India, Delhi and Mumbai are the only two cities surveyed by World Bank for these rankings.

India's performance in EODB 2018:

• Its jump in ranking in EODB 2018 was aided largely by improvement in areas such as "trading across borders", "dealing with construction permits", "getting electricity", "getting credit" and "starting a business".
• It has improved in rank in six out of ten indicators. 
• It has moved closer to international best practice.
• India's score also improved to 67.23, a gain of 6.63 from last year.
• The most dramatic improvements by India was registered in indicators related to 'construction permits' (improved to 52 from 181) and 'trading across borders' (rose to 80 from 146).
• However, compared to last year, India saw its ranking dip on various other parameters, such as "registering property", "protecting minority investors".
• It is among top ten economies improving most across three or more areas alongside countries such as Afghanistan, Djibouti, China, Azerbaijan, Togo, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Turkey and Rwanda.
• It is the only other country, alongside Djibouti, to be in top ten for second year in row.
• Two economies with largest populations-China and India- demonstrated "impressive reform agendas".
• It made starting business easier by integrating multiple application forms into a general incorporation form.
• India also replaced value-added tax (VAT) with GST for which registration process is faster.

Question:

Q. India ranked what among 190 countries by leapfrogging 23 ranks in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business (EODB) 2018 rankings?
a. 97th
b. 87th
c. 77th
d. 67th