Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, is a significant step towards simplifying laws and reducing the burden of compliance and the fear of penalties. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today on the bill, Mr. Goyal said that the aim of the bill is not to control ordinary people, but to benefit them and enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business. Mr. Goyal said that for the first time, 1,000 offenses across 79 Acts have been decriminalized through the Jan Vishwas Bill. He added that this bill is an important milestone in the country's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Mr. Goyal asserted that this legislation demonstrates the trust shown by the Narendra Modi government in the common man, small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. He also stated that 12 states have already introduced their own versions of Jan Vishwas laws and urged other states to also look into decriminalizing petty offenses. The minister also emphasized that this step has been taken to move away from a colonial mindset where punishment prevailed over fairness. Mr. Goyal also mentioned that these reforms could provide significant relief to the judicial system, which currently has 5 crore pending cases related to such minor offenses.
