Chandigarh, September 6: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said it was "shameful" that Punjab has become a "laggard" state under the Congress rule as it has been placed in the 19th position in the Business Reform Action Plan (2019) rankings.

Slamming the Amarinder Singh-led government in the state, Badal said Punjab was among the "worst-performing" states for the second year in running. Also Read | Air Tickets Booked For International And Domestic Travel During First Two Phases of Lockdown Will Be Fully Refunded, DGCA Tells Supreme Court.

According to the annual ease of doing business ranking of states and Union Territories announced by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on Saturday, Punjab was placed at number 19. The ranking is based on the implementation of the business reform action plan 2019 by states and UTs. Also Read | Western Railway to Resume Six Pairs of Additional Special Trains From September 12 Till Further Notice.

In a statement here, the SAD chief said the state secured the nineteenth rank as per the Business Reform Action Plan 2019 rankings as against the 20th rank it had secured in the survey for the previous year.

"This is in stark contrast to the number one ranking achieved by the state in ease of setting up of business in 2015 and the pole position for single-window reforms in 2016 during the SAD-BJP rule," Badal said. The latest ranking was a cause for concern. Even Punjab's neighbours have outranked it, he said.

"Himachal Pradesh has jumped from 16th rank to the seventh position, while Haryana has been ranked 16th," the SAD chief said, adding "It is shameful that Punjab has become a laggard state under the leadership of Amarinder Singh and continue to be among the worst-performing state for the second year in running,"

Holding the chief minister solely responsible for this state of affairs, Badal alleged that Amarinder Singh has "downgraded" the Invest Punjab Department which had created a one-stop clearance system and boosted investment to the tune of Rs 45,000 crore during the SAD-BJP rule.

"The reforms commission has been scrapped and 12,000 Sewa Kendras which were established to provide easy access to citizen-centric services have been closed down," he said.

Asking the chief minister to "perform or quit", Badal said "You (Amarinder Singh) are presiding over the downfall of the state in every sphere. Your fake claims of bringing in investment and holding a sham investment meet have been exposed. Investors have lost confidence to invest in Punjab under your leadership."

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