Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday (Aug 18) introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, soon after it received Cabinet approval. He also requested the Speaker’s consent to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, which is expected to submit its report before the upcoming Parliament session.
The proposed legislation expands on the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 which had decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central laws. The 2025 Bill seeks amendments to 355 provisions under 16 Acts spanning 10 Ministries. A key highlight is the revision of provisions in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, where minor compliance lapses would attract monetary penalties instead of jail terms, while stringent measures for safeguarding patient safety will remain intact.
Other laws slated for amendment include the Tea Act, the Legal Metrology Act, and the Motor Vehicles Act. The government has projected the Bill as a major reform initiative under its vision of Minimum Government, Maximum Governance, aimed at boosting both ease of doing business and everyday living.
