UPSC Mains 2025 Revision Checklist: Top 15 Economy topics aspirants shouldn't miss
UPSC Mains 2025 Revision: Top 15 Polity and Governance topics
UPSC Mains 2025 Revision Checklist: Top 15 International Relations topics
UPSC Mains 2025 Revision Checklist: Top 15 Science and technology topics
📌 Why in News?
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 on 1st February. In her speech, she highlighted four engines of development for the 2025-26 fiscal year: agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investments, and exports. The Union Budget is a crucial component of the UPSC syllabus. Thus, understanding its facts, figures, and analysis is significantly important, as questions can be asked on various aspects, and it also provides good fodder for the Mains answers.
Key dimensions to cover:
• Know in detail the basics of a budget and its components.
• Know the key highlights of Union Budget 2025-26.
• What does the Union Budget 2025-26 say on agriculture?
• What are the major government schemes related to the agriculture sector?
• What are the major announcements for India's MSME sector in the Union Budget?
• How Union Budget addresses investment-related challenges to stimulate economic growth?
• How does the Union Budget align with India's goal of becoming a global export hub?
PYQ Insight:
📍Distinguish between Capital Budget and Revenue Budget. Explain the components of both these Budgets. (UPSC CSE 2021)
📍One of the intended objectives of the Union Budget 2017-18 is to 'transform, energise and clean India'. Analyse the measures proposed in the Budget 2017-18 to achieve the objective. (UPSC CSE 2017)
Other important article covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Facts, figures, and analysis of the 4 engines driving the Union Budget 2025
How Budget 2025 empowers India's cities as engines of economic growth
📌 Why in News?
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for 2024-25 in Parliament on January 31. The Economic Survey is the comprehensive analysis of the economy that is conducted from within the Union government. Its observations and details provide an official framework for not only analysing the Indian economy but also sheds light on the challenges faced by our economy and the required solutions. It is an important document for the UPSC CSE, as questions have been asked based on it, and it also provides fodder for mains answers.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is the Economic Survey and its significance?
• What are the key highlights of the Economic Survey 2024-25?
• What are the main concerns flagged by the Economic Survey?
• What are the survey's key recommendations for the various sectors of the economy, such as the external sector, investment, infrastructure, industry, service sector, and employment?
• Know about these government schemes mentioned in Economic Survey – Jan Aushadhi scheme, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), PM Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) , One Station One Product Scheme, Bharatmala Pariyojana, National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) scheme, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA), Bharat Net Project.
PYQ Insight:
📍Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced a V- shapes recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer. ( UPSC CSE 2021)
Other important article covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Economic Survey 2024-25 Decoded — What it says, what it warns, and what it recommends
📌 Why in News?
With the announcement of reciprocal tariffs by the US, the tariff and trade war has come into the spotlight. As this topic holds multi-dimensional relevance for the UPSC CSE exam, it relates not only to global trade, economic relations, and geopolitics but also to India's bilateral relations with the US. Trump's reciprocal tariffs affect international markets, influencing India's trade policies and economic strategies. Thus, understanding tariffs and their impact on India from a broader perspective becomes important.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What are tariffs?
• How do tariffs work?
• What is protectionism? How is it opposed to globalisation?
• What are the key reasons behind the recent US government's decision to increase tariffs?
• How do countries generally retaliate against tariffs, and what are the potential consequences of such retaliatory measures?
• In what ways can the Trump administration's tariff policies impact India's economy?
• How to navigate protectionism fallouts?
• Analyse factors that contributed to the resurgence of protectionist policies in recent times?
• How do you think India can navigate the protectionist measures and safeguard its economic interests?
• What role should global institutions (like the WTO) play when powerful economies engage in protectionism?
PYQ Insight:
📍What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of 'Trade War', especially keeping in mind the interest of India? (UPSC CSE 2018)
Other important article covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Tariff war: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
Promise and perils of protectionism
Trump's tariffs shake the foundation of globalisation
📌 Why in News?
Amid US President Donald Trump's tariff regime looming over global trade, India's fiscal deficit remains a key concern. The government is mulling over tariff changes to address external imbalances, safeguard local manufacturing, and maintain fiscal targets. However, such measures could strain trade ties and inflate prices, potentially exacerbating the fiscal burden in the long term. In this context, covering the topic of fiscal management becomes important.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is fiscal deficit and how does it reflect the government's financial health?
• Types of deficit
• Management of fiscal deficit
• Why is it important for the government to maintain a moderate, but not zero, fiscal deficit?
• Why fiscal discipline matters
• What steps has the Indian government taken under Budget 2025 to move toward the fiscal deficit target of below 4.5% by 2025–26?
• In what ways can deficit financing contribute positively to economic growth and welfare?
• Is India's current fiscal deficit strategy sustainable in the face of potential economic shocks or global slowdowns?
Other important article covering the same topic:
India's fiscal balancing amid global economic uncertainties
📌 Why in News?
The rising inflation in 2023-24 has been shaped by a combination of domestic and global factors, with a report by the State Bank of India projecting India's retail inflation to remain above 5 per cent in 2024. Inflation is an important part of the UPSC CSE syllabus of economy, as it is connected with multiple aspects of the economy.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is inflation? How is it measured?
• What are the major causes of inflation?
• What are demand-pull and cost-push inflation? What are the primary drivers behind the two?
• India has experienced rising inflation in 2023-24. What were the major factors behind it?
• How does inflation affect the cost of living?
• What is wage inflation, and how is it different from general inflation?
• What measures have been taken by the government to manage rising prices and support economic stability?
• What role does the Reserve Bank of India play in controlling inflation?
PYQ Insight:
📍Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments (UPSC CSE 2019)
Other important article covering the same topic:
Rising inflation: A growing concern for policymakers
How inflation affects cost of living
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Food Inflation: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
📌 Why in News?
As one of the oldest agrarian societies in the world, India's farming practices have evolved over the years. However, agriculture today stands at a crossroads, with farmers grappling with challenges like climate change, shrinking arable land, depleting freshwater reserves, and rising input costs. In this context, covering the various aspects of agriculture becomes important for exams.
Key dimensions to cover:
• Contribution of Agriculture in the Indian economy.
• Sustainable agriculture and different types of farming systems.
• How has Indian agriculture evolved, and in what ways it is adapting to contemporary challenges?
• What role has technology played in the evolution of Indian farming methods? How has the shift to market-oriented practices impacted Indian farmers and rural communities?
• How have government policies influenced the transition from subsistence to market-driven agriculture in India?
• Government initiatives related to agriculture.
• How effective are the government's initiatives in supporting farmers and improving agricultural practices in the country?
• How can agriculture be an engine for growth of the Indian economy?
PYQ Insight:
📍How far is the Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production? (UPSC CSE 2019)
Other important article covering the same topic:
How agriculture evolves and adapts to current challenges
How agriculture can be an engine for growth
📌 Why in News?
With the World Bank raising its threshold poverty line to $3 a day (daily consumption of less than $3) from the earlier $2.15 a day, the extreme poverty rate for India declines sharply to 5.3 per cent in 2022-23 from 27.1 per cent in 2011-12. In absolute terms, people living in extreme poverty fell from 344.47 million to just 75.24 million, the latest data from the World Bank shows. In this context, covering the topic of the status of poverty in India is becoming increasingly important.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is poverty?
• Poverty measurement in India.
• The evolution of poverty estimates in India.
• Debates around India's poverty line.
• The poverty debate.
• What is poverty? How has poverty measurement evolved in India?
• How can the social and institutional mistreatment of the poor hinder their ability to escape poverty, and what measures can be taken to address these issues?
• Has economic growth contributed to increasing income and consumption inequality in India?
• Evaluate major recommendations made by the Tendulkar Committee on Poverty estimates.
PYQ Insight:
📍'Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing'. Explain by giving reasons. (UPSC CSE 2018)
Other important article covering the same topic:
Knowledge Nugget: World Bank's revised poverty line and India — A must-know for UPSC Exam
Poverty debates in India
UPSC Essentials | Poverty and associated issues (Part 1)
UPSC Essentials | Poverty and associated issues (Part 2)
UPSC Essentials | Poverty and associated issues (Part 3)
📌 Why in News?
The issue of unemployment has been at the heart of economic policy discussions, especially in recent decades when the link between economic growth and employment generation has social dimension too. This topic has various dimensions: factual – reflected through surveys, government reports and think tank data and analytical- based on experts' analysis and debates revolving around them.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is unemployment or who is an unemployed person? Is unemployment synonymous with joblessness?
• Different types of unemployment.
• Issue of structural unemployment- Know in detail
• What are the major causes of unemployment in India?
• Why is youth unemployment seen as a major problem today?
• Analyse the unemployment scenario in India. How does the government seek to tackle it?
• What are the various consequences of unemployment?
• What have been some of the measures or policy initiatives taken to control unemployment?
• Will AI be the new cause of unemployment in the age to come?
• How does the global economy affect national employment?
PYQ Insight:
📍Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements. (UPSC CSE 2023)
📍The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favor of your answer. (UPSC CSE 2015)
Other important article covering the same topic:
UPSC Essentials | Unemployment and associated issues (Part 1)
UPSC Essentials | Unemployment and associated issues (Part 2)
The issue of structural unemployment
📌 Why in News?
With over 80 per cent of the world's poor living in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, India is among the countries with the largest number of the world's poor, found the 2024 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report. The report also stated that almost 84 per cent of the world's poor live in rural areas and they are poorer than their counterparts in the urban areas. In the case of India, rural poverty has been a persistent issue for policymakers.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What are the key socioeconomic determinants of rural poverty in India and how do they impact both livelihoods and quality of life?
• What are some key characteristics of rural poverty in India?
• How does rural poverty differ from urban poverty?
• What are the potential impacts of outdated poverty data on understanding and addressing multidimensional poverty in India?
• How do social constraints related to caste, gender, and ethnicity impact poverty in rural areas and limit social mobility?
• Rural-urban migration.
• Government policies for growth of the rural economy.
PYQ Insight:
📍Though there have been several different estimates of poverty in India, all indicate reduction in poverty levels over time. Do you agree? Critically examine with reference to urban and rural poverty indicators (UPSC CSE 2015)
Other important article covering the same topic:
Socioeconomic determinants of rural poverty in India
📌 Why in News?
Women contribute around 63 per cent of the agricultural labour force in India, yet they lack access to key resources such as land ownership, finance, and advanced farming technologies. In this context, covering this emerging trend from a comprehensive perspective becomes essential.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What does the feminisation of agriculture imply?
• How does the increase in farm-related work undertaken by women contribute to the feminisation of agriculture?
• In what ways does feminisation of agriculture relate to women's control, ownership, and participation in agricultural resources?
• Why is women's ownership of farmland and decision-making power over agricultural resources crucial for their empowerment?
• What policy measures can help achieve gender equity in agriculture?
PYQ Insight:
📍Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India. (UPSC CSE 2014)
Other important article covering the same topic:
How can feminisation of agriculture empower women?
📌 Why in News?
Presently positioned as the fourth-largest economy globally, on par with Japan, the IMF forecasts India to be the fastest-growing major economy over the next two years, maintaining a significant advantage over both global and regional competitors despite the adjustment in growth projections. As a key measure of economic growth is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), its important to cover this topic from a broader perspective.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What does the World GDP Ranking 2025 say about the largest global economies?
• What is GDP, and why is it considered a key measure of economic growth?
• What are the different approaches used to measure GDP?
• Is GDP an accurate measure of economic growth?
• The recent debate related to GDP.
PYQ Insight:
📍'Industrial growth rate has lagged behind in the overall growth of Gross-Domestic-Product(GDP) in the post-reform period' Give reasons. How far the recent changes in Industrial Policy capable of increasing the industrial growth rate? (UPSC CSE 2017)
📍Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments. (2019)
Other important article covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | From largest economies to understanding GDP: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
Three approaches to measuring GDP and why they matter
Why is GDP considered a key measure of economic growth?
📌 Why in News?
A recent study by V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, affiliated with the Ministry of Labour and Employment has estimated that the number of gig workers in India will grow to around 23 million by 2030 from around 3 million across 11 platform companies in 2020. This projection is supposed to include 7 per cent of India's total non-agricultural workers.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is the gig economy?
• What distinguishes gig work from traditional employment in terms of labour rights and protections?
• The classification of gig workers as 'self-employed' is considered problematic. Why?
• What does growth in the gig sector imply for India's economy?
• What are the key provisions of the Code on Social Security, 2020 with respect to gig workers?
• How have states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Telangana responded differently to the challenges faced by gig workers?
• Labour regulations and gig workers
• Need for fair treatment and protection
PYQ Insight:
📍Examine the role of 'Gig Economy' in the process of empowerment of women in India. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Other important article covering the same topic:
How gig workers struggle between flexibility and insecurity
📌 Why in News?
The Minimum Support Price is a central government policy designed to support farmers. MSP, along with Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), is an evergreen kind of economy topic; thus, covering it for mains becomes essential.
Key dimensions to cover:
• What is the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?
• What is the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)?
• What is the historical background of MSP?
• Who recommends MSP and who takes the final call?
• Challenges associated with India's current MSP framework.
• Why guaranteeing MSP is essential for farmers and India?
• Evaluate the need for reforms in the grain management and food subsidy systems to achieve the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.
PYQ Insight:
📍What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low income trap? (UPSC CSE 2018)
Other important article covering the same topic:
The reform and welfare India needs by Ashok Gulati
UPSC Essentials: One word a day — Minimum Support Price (MSP)
Knowledge Nugget: What you must know about the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for UPSC Exam
📌 Why in News?
Enhanced market access in export-oriented and job-creating sectors, and duty-free access for 99 per cent of India's exports to the UK are among the major benefits New Delhi bagged as part of its first landmark trade deal with London. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer in London on July 24, comes as India seeks to integrate more closely with developed countries. Thus, knowing about it in detail becomes crucial.
Key dimensions to cover:
• Status of India-UK trade.
• What is a Free Trade Agreement or FTA?
• Major highlights of the India-UK FTA.
• What led to the deal, and what issues emerged during negotiations?
• What is the significance of India-UK FTA?
• How does the India-UK FTA represent a significant shift in India's historically protectionist trade strategy?
• What are the benefits and challenges of the India-UK trade deal for the textiles sector?
Other important article covering the same topic:
UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed: the key goods included, what it means
📌 Why in News?
Recently, in its half-yearly Financial Stability Report (FSR), the RBI also noted that the Indian economy remains a key driver of global growth, underpinned by sound macroeconomic fundamentals and prudent macroeconomic policies. At the same time, it has proposed the creation of a Financial Conditions Index (FCI), which would enable real-time monitoring of the country's financial health. As the central bank, the RBI plays a vital role in regulating the country's economy and promoting financial literacy.
Key dimensions to cover:
• How has the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) contributed to maintaining India's macroeconomic stability amid global economic uncertainties?
• Evaluate the role of the RBI in maintaining monetary stability. What could be possible ways to improve its effectiveness, specifically amid rapid digitalisation?
• What does the RBI Financial Inclusion Index measure, and how do the sub-indices of access, usage, and quality contribute to the overall picture of financial inclusion in India?
• How can the RBI strengthen its supervisory framework to address rising cyber threats in the financial sector?
• What is monetary policy? What are the major instruments of monetary policy employed by the RBI?
• What is the difference between monetary policy and fiscal policy in managing the economy?
• How has the relationship between the RBI and the government evolved recently?
Other important article covering the same topic:
How RBI helps maintain the resilience of Indian economy
UPSC Issue at a Glance | RBI Explained – History, tools of monetary policy, and surplus transfer
Check out the other UPSC Mains Special articles:
What are 'directive words' in a UPSC Mains question paper and how do they help in scoring well?
How to write effective answers for UPSC Mains Exam : 3 steps and 5 FAQs
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Is the new Income Tax law more accessible?
The story so far: The Income Tax Bill 2025, which seeks to replace the Income Tax Act of 1961, was passed by Parliament in the ongoing monsoon session. The Bill is significantly shorter, more concise, and has clearer legislation. However, it also incorporates some new elements that could be problematic. Why was a new law needed? The Income Tax Act, 1961 is outdated, and over the years has been amended numerous times, leading to income tax legislation in India being convoluted and difficult for an average citizen to understand. It also provided tax officials ample scope for harassment due to the discretion the law afforded them. In the new Bill, the number of chapters has been brought down to 23 from 47 in the Income Tax Act, 1961, and the number of Sections to 536 from 819. Moreover, in order to provide greater clarity, the new Bill has increased the number of tables to 57 from 18 and the number of formulae to 46 from six. Most importantly, the language has been greatly simplified. Jargon has been removed as much as possible, and examples have been provided where needed. Why was a second version of the Bill needed? The original version of the Income Tax Bill 2025 was introduced in Parliament in February this year. However, given the importance of the legislation and the ambitious nature of what it was trying to do, it was decided to refer it to a Select Committee. The committee was headed by Baijayant Panda and comprised Members of Parliament from across political parties. The Select Committee submitted its report in July this year. It was a mammoth report, and while it retained much of the language in the new Bill, it also recommended several changes. On August 8, 2025, the government withdrew the Bill to incorporate the suggestions made by the committee. The reason for the withdrawal was to avoid confusion through multiple versions of the Bill and to provide a clear and updated version with all the changes incorporated. That new version was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11, 2025 and was passed the same day without debate. What has changed in the new Bill? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was clear from the outset that the purpose of the new legislation was to simplify and rationalise the existing law, not to change the rates or slabs through it. Those changes are made periodically by the government, such as in Budget 2025, when the income tax slabs and rates were substantially changed. Most of the changes will not impact the average income tax payer, and are more technical in nature. For example, the provisions of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) and Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT) have been separated into two sub-sections. However, the new law has codified some taxpayer-friendly features. For example, taxpayers can now update their income tax returns up to four years from the end of the relevant assessment year. This means mistakes can be rectified without any penalty or tax incidence. Notably, the period for which assessments could be reopened has been reduced to five years. Are all the changes positive? No. The provisions relating to searches by income tax officials have been tweaked to include some concerning features. The original Income Tax Act 1961 required anybody found to be in control or possession of any documents in electronic form to provide the authorised officer 'the necessary facility to inspect such books of account or other documents'. It also authorised the tax official to 'break open the lock of any door, box, locker, safe, almirah or other receptacle' in case their keys were not available. The new law takes these concepts a step further. It now says that anybody in possession or control of electronic documents or information must not only provide the tax officer 'reasonable technical and other assistance', but also share passwords. As the law sets no limits on what electronic information the tax officer may need to assess, this means the assessee must also share passwords of social media and personal emails, if required. Further, the law also empowers the tax official to 'override the access code to any computer system' if the password is not provided. What is the justification? While a few members of the committee called for the dilution of these sections in their dissent notes, the Select Committee as a whole accepted the government's argument that a lot of relevant financial information is shared over messaging services or stored in personal emails, and so recommended that these sections be included.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Meghalaya only state in country to achieve consistent growth rate of about 10% over 3 consecutive yrs post Covid: CM
Shillong: Meghalaya 'stands tall as the second fastest-growing state' in the country, just after Tamil Nadu, and the growth rate for 2024-25 at constant prices is 9.66%, which is double the state's growth rate of 5.1% in 2018 when the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Govt came to power, CM Conrad K Sangma said in the course of his eighth consecutive Independence Day speech at the Polo Grounds here on Friday. "Meghalaya is the only state in the country which has achieved a consistent growth rate of about 10% over three consecutive years post the Covid pandemic. How did Meghalaya transform from a state growing at 5% to a state growing at 10%? Meghalaya's growth rate in 2015-16 was 2%, 2016-17 was 5%, 2017-18 was 4%, 2018-19 was 5%, and 2019-20 was 5%. In contrast, the growth rates in 2022-23 were 10%, 2023-24 was 11%, and 2024-25 is 10%. This achievement is the result of years of persistence, careful planning, and the hard work of the Govt," said the CM, who also holds the finance portfolio. He said after spending four days in Meghalaya last month, meeting farmers, youth, entrepreneurs, women, and community members, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the state as a "shining example of a confident and self-reliant India". The CM also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had recently recognised Meghalaya's development model, describing it as a "blueprint for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat ". The CM said similar sentiments were echoed by the chairman of 16th Finance Commission, development partners from World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and leaders from the private sector. "We are at a midway point in the 15-year journey, from 2018 to 2032, when we commemorate 60 years of Meghalaya's statehood. In 2018, our GDP was less than Rs. 30,000 crore. In seven and a half years, we have doubled the GDP to Rs 59,626 crore. In the next seven and a half years, we will more than double our GDP from the current Rs 60,000 crore to Rs 1,40,000 crore. This increased GDP will lead to more jobs for our youth, more opportunities for every citizen, and make Meghalaya one of the top 10 states in the country," the CM said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Jan Vishwas 2.0: Centre set to table decriminalisation bill in Lok Sabha. Here are five things to look out for
The central government is set to table the Jan Vishwas 2.0 bill in front of the Lok Sabha on Monday, 18 August 2025, as the nation is looking to amend several laws and bring in the new concept of decriminalisation by introducing an 'improvement notice' instead of a penalty for an offence, reported the news portal Indian Express on Saturday, 16 August 2025. Earlier this week, the Union Cabinet of India cleared the Jan Vishwas 2.0 bill which is aiming to decriminalise and rationalise the punishment of offences based on a trust basis governance for the ease of doing business. 'In our country, there are such laws that can put people in jail for very small things — you would be shocked. No one has really paid attention to them. I have been pursuing this, because these unnecessary laws that put our country's citizens behind bars should be abolished. We had introduced a Bill in Parliament earlier, and we have brought it again this time,' said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 79th Independence Day speech. 1. Improvement notice — In the Jan Vishwas 2.0 bill, the centre has proposed to introduce a concept of an 'improvement notice' instead of a penalty for a first time offender. In the Budget 2025 announcement, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will bring the Jan Vishwas 2.0 this year, though which the Centre aims to decriminalise more than 180 legal provisions. "In the Jan Vishwas Act 2023, more than 180 legal provisions were decriminalised. Our government will now bring up the Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalise more than 100 provisions in various laws," said Sitharaman in the Budget speech. 2. Shift of approach — The proposed bill bring forth a shift of approach of the central government moving from a 'penalise on first detection' approach of the Jan Vishwas 1.0 which was imposed as a law in 2023, into a 'inform–correct–penalise' approach soon to be mandated as the law. Through this move, the government aims to promote the ease of doing business and trust-based regulation while maintaining deterrence for repeated violations, a person aware of the development told the news portal. 3. No penalty on first offence — According to the proposed bill, the first time offenders will not be charged any penalty for their offence and will be served an opportunity to rectify their non-compliance withing a pre-set period. 4. Increasing subsequent fines — In case an entity becomes a repeat offender, the penalties will start to be applicable from the second offence onwards. According to the news portal's report, the penalty which will be applicable will be the same as it was for the first offence in Jan Vishwas 1.0. The proposal also mandates that the fines charged will increase for the subsequent offences subject to a maximum cap depending on the sections. 5. Changes via Jan Vishwas 1.0 — According to the Jan Vishwas Act of 2023, in efforts to decriminalise several offences under various laws, the Indian government removed the Section 41 of the Food Corporations Act, 1964 which punished imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or a fine of ₹ 1,000, or both in case of a using FCI's name in any prospectus or advertisement without its consent in writing. Another case was when the Jan Vishwas Act removed the 6-month imprisonment penalty for tree felling or damage caused by cattle in protected forests; they have however, kept ₹ 500 as a fine for the same in efforts to decriminalise.
