Delhi, recognised as the nation’s capital, has been reported to perform inadequately according to the World Bank’s Business Ready (B-Ready) assessment. In a recent review meeting, the Delhi government acknowledged that the city has fallen short in various measures that are crucial for fostering a conducive business environment, as highlighted by the Times of India. These shortcomings contradict Delhi’s ambition to establish itself as a prominent economic hub.

The assessment reflects a gap between the urban expectations surrounding Delhi and the reality of the business infrastructure available to its residents. Some of the key areas identified as lacking include services related to property records, construction permits, and basic water-quality checks. Despite a notable push towards digitising government services, efficiency in delivering fundamental civic and business services remains a challenge.

Understanding the B-Ready Assessment

The World Bank’s Business Ready (B-Ready) assessment provides important insights into how conducive a region’s business environment is to encouraging private sector investment and activities. The framework evaluates essential elements such as the accessibility of government services, the efficiency of those services, and regulatory compliance. The 2025 edition of the assessment included an evaluation of 101 economies, with scores ranging from zero to 100 across three defining parameters: rules, public services, and their delivery efficacy.

Metrics covered under this assessment include the process of starting a business, obtaining construction permissions, accessing utilities, fulfilling tax obligations, securing financing, cross-border trading, and resolving disputes. The results obtained from this assessment are intended to aid governments in identifying specific areas that require enhancement to better support business operations.

Delhi Government’s Performance on World Bank Metrics

This fragmentation has hindered the digitisation of older land and lease records, which remain archived with various authorities such as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Additionally, the absence of unique identification numbers for properties exacerbates the difficulties in the digitisation process.

Despite the government’s initiatives to promote an online property registration system, some components still necessitate in-person completion, creating further barriers to efficiency. With an aim to transform Delhi into a global business and innovation hub, the focus is now on addressing these extensive challenges.

Plans for Improvement and Reform

The outcomes of the review meeting have prompted the Delhi government to instruct relevant departments to evaluate their operational gaps and devise comprehensive plans to remediate them. The officials are now directed to prioritise actionable reforms that can be implemented within two months, aiming for tangible improvement in the business ecosystem.

In addressing challenges associated with land records, the government plans to introduce a ‘Delhi Land Stack’ to centralise property and land information held across various agencies. These agencies are also urged to expedite digitisation efforts, aiming for a cohesive land-information system by August 2026.

Additionally, independent regulatory mechanisms for water-quality monitoring are being considered, along with discussions on incentives for constructing sustainable buildings. The proposal for urbanising 48 villages within Delhi is also under review, with relevant departments tasked with presenting necessary documentation to the Lieutenant Governor.

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