DW BUREAU / chandigarh 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.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. 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." Andhra Pradesh for the third time in a row has topped in the ease of doing annual business ranking of states and Union Territories by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The ranking is based on the implementation of the business reform action plan 2019, according to a report released by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. Registering a jump of 10 places in the rankings, Uttar Pradesh occupied the second position in 2019 as against 12th in 2018. Telangana slipped to the third position from second in 2018. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh (4th), Jharkhand (5th). (editor@dailyworld.in)