Bangalore, Sep 8 (KNN) The Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) has said that the steep fall of Karnataka in the Ease of Doing Business rank of the states to 17 is quite disappointing.

However, KASSIA also said that it was expected and the industry body is not surprised.

''KASSIA has consistently maintained that industries in the state have had to battle bureaucratic red tape perennially affecting morale and investments,'' it said.

KASSIA asserted that though there are schemes and instruments on paper, these never translate into actions. For example, the single window agencies in the districts never meet regularly and often not meet for months which deprives entrepreneurs’ avenues for effective redress leaving problems unresolved. Moreover, the single window is ineffective as you face multiple clearances after application for new projects which lack meaningful coordination and follow up among the agencies.

''The promised online systems or deemed clearances are merely touted and never put into practice leaving the entrepreneur high and dry,'' it added.

KASSIA further urged the government to review and revamp the systems thoroughly by stipulating time bound schedules and effecting deemed clearance as per sakala hand hold officers accountable for delays.

''There is a need to realize that investors now have choices and the state will further lose if corrections are not made quickly,'' KASSIA said.