Latest news with #JanVishwasAct
Mint
14 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Goyal introduces Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 in Lok Sabha, proposes decriminalisation of 288 provisions across 16 Acts
New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Monday introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, expanding the government's reform agenda for ease of doing business and ease of living. The Bill, approved earlier by the Cabinet, seeks to amend 355 provisions across 16 central Acts covering 10 ministries and departments, including proposals to decriminalize 288 provisions and rationalize penalties in another 67. Goyal also requested that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee, which will submit its report by the opening day of the next Parliament session. According to a commerce ministry statement, the Lok Sabha Speaker will choose the committee members, and the panel will submit its report by the first day of the next session. 'This is another step in the government's commitment to reducing compliance burden and ensuring a more business-friendly environment,' a senior official said, noting that the legislation builds on the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which decriminalized 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts. The 2025 Bill extends this framework further by introducing measures such as advisories or warnings for first-time contraventions in 76 cases, replacing imprisonment clauses for minor, technical or procedural defaults with monetary penalties, and empowering designated officers to impose penalties through administrative mechanisms to reduce the judicial burden. The proposed law also introduces a provision for an automatic 10% increase in fines and penalties every three years to maintain deterrence without requiring fresh legislative amendments, as per the ministry statement. In addition to business-related provisions, the Bill also covers consumer-facing aspects, with 67 amendments under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, aimed at improving ease of living. Among the 16 Acts covered, four—the Tea Act, 1953, Legal Metrology Act, 2009, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940—had already been part of the 2023 exercise and are proposed for further decriminalization. As per the statement, the new Bill reflects the policy thrust of 'minimum government, maximum governance,' seeking to create a balance between regulatory oversight and business convenience. Mintreported on 31 March that the government had been preparing to decriminalize more than 100 offences under various laws by the end of this year to improve investor confidence and unlock potential for faster economic growth. The decriminalization drive, announced by finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February, entails removing criminality from minor violations and procedural lapses, dropping outdated provisions from the law, and making the regulatory regime more suited to current economic realities.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha, sent to select committee
The Union government on Monday introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, which was subsequently referred to a select committee for further deliberations. Union minister Piyush Goyal, who tabled the bill, said the legislation seeks to amend 'certain enactments for decriminalising and rationalising offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.' Union minister of commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal, speaks in Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (Sansad TV) The select committee is expected to submit its report on the first day of the next parliamentary session. Among its many provisions, the bill proposes a new mechanism of issuing an 'improvement notice' to first-time offenders instead of imposing an immediate penalty. Monetary penalties would apply only in cases of repeat offences. The move comes after the Union Cabinet cleared the proposal last week, following a year-long process initiated by the commerce and industry ministry on September 28, 2024. The bill builds on the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which took effect on August 11, 2023. That law had decriminalised and rationalised certain minor offences across 42 central legislations, scrapped 183 criminal provisions spanning 19 ministries and departments, and aimed to reduce outdated legal hurdles in line with global business and technological trends. One of the main objectives of the Act was to remove provisions in law that no longer serve the evolving technological and business environment, especially in a global context. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech on February 1, 2025, had already signalled the next step, '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.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi also underscored the importance of the reform in his Independence Day address. 'In our country, there are such laws that can put people in jail for tiny things — you would be shocked. No one has 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.'
Hans India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
AP leads the way in simplification of laws
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is leading the way in legal reforms aimed at deregulation and compliance reduction, aligning state laws with national standards to enhance ease of trade and improve public service delivery. At a key meeting held at the Secretariat on Friday, Union secretary (Coordination) of the Cabinet Secretariat and head of the Task Force Committee on Deregulation and Compliance Reduction, Manoj Govil, commended Andhra Pradesh for its proactive efforts. He noted that the state is at the forefront in updating, amending, and simplifying outdated laws to align with the Central government's framework. These measures, he said, are part of a broader national push to reduce regulatory burdens and ensure laws better serve citizens and businesses. Govil stressed the need for full adoption of the National Building Code and urged states to implement stringent fire safety standards in high-rise structures. He added that such compliance reforms, when implemented effectively, will directly benefit citizens and entrepreneurs alike. Chief secretary K Vijayanand said that the state has already initiated significant legal changes under the Central government's Jan Vishwas Act, aimed at trust-based governance. As part of this effort, 76 state laws have been reviewed and simplified — including 18 from the excise department, 19 from mines and geology, 21 from labour, factories and boilers, four from the cooperative department, and three from the energy department. He also noted that the state is embracing technology to streamline governance. Through initiatives like WhatsApp Governance, Andhra Pradesh has made 520 citizen services available online, ensuring faster, more accessible public service delivery. Efforts are ongoing to digitally integrate all departments. Senior officials, including special chief secretary G Anantha Ramu, principal secretaries Kumar Vishwajith and S Suresh Kumar, Secretaries Dr N Yuvaraj and Pratibha Devi, fire services director Murali and Central and state officials took part in the discussions. •State is aligning laws with national standards as part of ease of trade
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
To lure investors, Kerala govt plans legislation to decriminalize minor offences across various laws
T'puram: The state govt is contemplating the introduction of comprehensive state-level legislation aimed at decriminalising minor offences across various state laws. The initiative draws inspiration from Centre's Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which amended 183 provisions across 42 central statutes to promote trust-based governance and ease of doing business. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The proposal was deliberated at a high-level meeting chaired by the chief secretary on April 28. During the discussions (the minutes of which were accessed by TOI), the task of exploring the feasibility of such omnibus legislation was entrusted to the personnel and administrative reforms department additional chief secretary, industries department principal secretary and law department secretary. They were directed to identify a nodal department to spearhead the initiative and circulate a policy file for formal approval to draft and introduce the proposed legislation. Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 represents a shift in the country's legal framework by replacing criminal penalties with civil penalties or fines for minor infractions. The Act introduces administrative adjudication mechanisms to handle technical violations, thereby reducing the burden on criminal courts. By simplifying compliance requirements and eliminating the fear of criminal prosecution, it seeks to create a more conducive environment for businesses and individuals alike. To further the reforms, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is revising nearly 100 rules and laws across various departments under Jan Vishwas 2.0. Centre views this as part of its drive to support 'Make in India' initiative and modernize the regulatory ecosystem. The Act eliminates outdated provisions, saving time and resources for both govt and judiciary while easing regulatory compliance for businesses. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The joint parliamentary committee that reviewed the Bill recommended extending the decriminalisation exercise to more laws, reinforcing the need for continuous reforms that align the country's framework with global business standards and investor expectations. Kerala's proposed legislation aligns with this national shift, but the state's legal framework presents additional challenges. Several provisions in state laws carry penalties that are disproportionate to the nature and gravity of violations. These too must be reviewed and amended to ensure fairness. Removing such harsh clauses is essential for Kerala to position itself as a genuinely business-friendly state. Yet, legal amendments alone may not suffice. While this omnibus Act may reduce procedural hurdles for entrepreneurs, Kerala continues to face systemic issues — most notably, the persistent presence of hyperactive trade unionism. This remains a complex challenge that no legislative overhaul can fully resolve. A stark reminder of this came in the form of the tragic suicide of entrepreneur Sajan in Anthoor, Thaliparamba, allegedly driven by bureaucratic interference. The incident sparked widespread debate about entrenched anti-business attitudes. Even the Kerala high court, in a 2021 ruling, observed that incidents of nokkukooli and coercive union practices were giving the state a reputation for "militant trade unionism." The court noted that such practices were deterring investors and needed to be eradicated. Former industries secretary and IAS officer P H Kurien welcomed the initiative, calling it a much-needed step in a state "with so many regulatory laws pulling back industrial growth and investment." However, he cautioned: "A mere act or law may not suffice; the spirit of the reform must percolate down to the very end of the bureaucratic chain to deliver real results."
Mint
29-04-2025
- Mint
Centre notifies rules for compounding of offences under Drugs & Cosmetics Act
New Delhi: The union health ministry has notified the Drugs & Cosmetics (Compounding of Offences) Rules 2025 to allow minor offences to be settled by fine or penalties. This is applicable to any pharmaceutical company, or any other person(s) involved in manufacture, import, sale, distribution or other activity covered under the Act. Any company or person can file an application for compounding offence—a mechanism that allows companies to avoid legal proceedings and settle the matter by paying a fine. However, only a first-time offenders will be considered for penalty, and repeat offenders have to pay a fine and face imprisonment. Under the application, along with the name and address of the applicant, he/she has to furnish other details like name and composition of the product, manufacturing license, manufactured or imported by, exported or import code, brief facts of the case and particulars of the offence, details of show cause notice, whether it is a first time offences etc. This follows the notification of the Jan Vishwas Act 2023 which converts several fines to penalties of up to ₹ 5 lakh, meaning legal prosecution is not necessary. It also removes imprisonment as a punishment for many offences. The stated objective of the Act is to de-criminalize certain offences to promote ease of doing business. 'The Drugs & Cosmetics (Compounding of Offences) Rules 2025 have been notified so as to avoid legal proceedings in the court for small offences. Relevant penalties have been defined in the Jan Vishwas Act. A Compounding Authority will be constituted to look after the matters Compounding Authority having rank of officer,' said a government official. 'Offences like misprinting in labels of the medicine packaging, or over-writing, or logistic issues, or not displaying all the list of medicines etc, will be considered as minor offences and a person cannot be put in jail for this – basically, an offence which is unintentional in nature, but quality and safety of the medicines should not be compromised,' the official added. The compounding authority has been empowered to grant immunity to a company or a person from prosecution and withdraw the same on certain conditions. The immunity can be withdrawn if the person or company fails to pay the penalty, or is found to have concealed any particular material or given false evidence. This assumes importance as the pharmaceutical sector is expected to reach $100 billion by 2025 owing to the robust domestic manufacturing base with over 10,500 manufacturing facilities. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered. First Published: 29 Apr 2025, 10:46 PM IST
