Seven states enact laws on lines of Jan Vishwas Act to encourage business

Seven NDA-ruled states are pushing for reforms on the lines of the Jan Vishwas Act, which de-criminalises minor offences by replacing prison terms with fines, to make investment climates more predictable and business-friendly, officials said on Friday.

This year, the seven states, including Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, passed their own legislations or promulgated ordinances on the lines of the Jan Vishwas Act, making it the largest coordinated deregulation push undertaken at the state level to date, they said.

"Together, these reforms represent a structural shift toward trust-based governance, cutting down on criminalisation for routine, technical, or procedural non-compliances," the officials said.

They said the combined effect of the states is expected to boost entrepreneurship, reduce litigation, provide regulatory clarity and make state-level investment climates more predictable and business-friendly.

Maharashtra has approved the Jan Vishwas Ordinance, 2025, amending seven rules across five departments, including labour, revenue and public health, to modernise penalty frameworks.

In Madhya Pradesh, efforts are ongoing to amend 144 sections across 24 Acts, removing criminal penalties and rationalising compliance requirements.

The Chhattisgarh Assembly passed its Jan Vishwas Bill in July, decriminalising 163 provisions across eight Acts, shifting from jail terms towards streamlined monetary penalties.

The Gujarat Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill amended 516 provisions across 11 laws spanning six departments, in one of the most extensive clean-ups this year.

The Haryana Jan Vishwas Ordinance has decriminalised 164 provisions across 42 Acts administered by 17 departments, making it the broadest cross-departmental exercise among the states.

The Odisha government also promulgated the Odisha Jan Vishwas Ordinance, covering 15 key proposals under 10 departments, aimed at reducing unnecessary penal action and improving ease of service delivery.

The Tripura Jan Vishwas Act 2025 amends 16 sections across 10 laws, including five complete repeals of outdated provisions.