Centre Begins Work on Jan Vishwas Bill-3 to Further Ease Business Rules
Piyush Goyal says 275–300 minor business offences may be decriminalised in the next phase of regulatory reforms.
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the government has begun work on further decriminalising minor business offences as part of the third edition of the Jan Vishwas Bill. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha in August and referred to a select committee, aims to simplify regulatory compliance and promote ease of living and doing business.
The committee is expected to submit its report on the first day of the next Parliament session. “The ministry has identified around 275–300 provisions that can be decriminalised. Preparations for Jan Vishwas Bill-3 are already underway,” Goyal said while addressing a conference of domestic traders.
The first edition of the law, implemented in 2023, amended 183 provisions across 42 Acts to remove criminal penalties for minor violations. Goyal urged traders to help identify additional provisions that could be simplified.
Responding to traders’ concerns about the ‘one nation, one licence’ demand, Goyal asked industry bodies to propose a detailed framework, which he said could be shared with states such as Maharashtra, since licensing falls under state jurisdiction.
On the rollout of the four labour codes, the minister said the codes offer several worker-friendly provisions, including timely minimum wages, universal social security, and coverage for gig and platform workers. “These codes will also support ease of doing business,” he added.
