Piyush Goyal to Table Jan Vishwas Bill in Lok Sabha, Focus on Citizen-Friendly Reforms

National News: The central government is ready to present another round of reforms aimed at reducing unnecessary punishments and making governance simpler. On Monday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will introduce the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (2.0), in the Lok Sabha. This bill seeks to make changes in over 350 provisions across different laws and regulations. Its main purpose is to eliminate or modify punishments for minor violations so that small mistakes do not lead to criminal charges or imprisonment.

Aim of the Bill

The government has explained that the new bill is designed to create a more business-friendly and citizen-centric system. For many years, industries, traders, and ordinary citizens have faced challenges because of complicated rules that carried harsh punishments. In some cases, even a small error in paperwork or a minor delay in compliance could result in a criminal case.

By bringing this new amendment, the government wants to replace jail terms with reasonable penalties. Instead of criminal action, a fine or warning would be enough in such situations. This will help reduce fear among entrepreneurs and also build greater trust between people and the administration.

Previous Experience in 2023

This is not the first time the government is working in this direction. Back in 2023, Parliament passed the first version of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Act. That earlier law decriminalized 183 provisions spread across 42 central laws. Nineteen different ministries and departments were covered under that step.

Through that act, many rules were simplified. In some cases, the government removed imprisonment but kept fines. In other cases, both jail terms and fines were replaced by lighter forms of punishment. This gave relief to businesses and individuals, as they no longer had to worry about facing court cases or jail time for minor issues.

Prime Minister’s Vision

The move is also closely linked with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2025, he had said that many outdated laws in India were still punishing people with jail terms for very trivial reasons.

He pointed out, “There are laws that surprise us because they prescribe imprisonment for very small matters. No one paid attention to them earlier, but I have taken the responsibility to remove such unnecessary provisions. Citizens should not be sent to jail for things that can be resolved through simpler means.”

Over the past few years, the government has already removed more than 40,000 avoidable compliances and scrapped over 1,500 old laws that had become irrelevant. Several existing laws have also been amended to make them easier for citizens to follow.

Importance of the Reform

The Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 reflects the government’s approach of “trust-based governance.” Instead of treating citizens and businesses with suspicion, the law encourages a system where honest mistakes are not criminalized.

This reform is expected to:

• Reduce legal pressure on small businesses
• Improve India’s ease of doing business ranking
• Attract more investment by making rules simpler
• Create a friendlier environment for entrepreneurs and common people alike

If the bill is approved, it will strengthen India’s position as a country moving away from old rigid laws and towards a modern, practical, and business-oriented legal structure.