India to soon bring in Jan Vishwas 3.0 to decriminalise minor offences by businesses

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that work is underway on a third edition of the Jan Vishwas Bill to further decriminalise minor business offences. Speaking at the National Trade Leaders Conference organised by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in New Delhi, he noted that more than 275 provisions have already been identified for decriminalisation and urged traders to flag additional areas that require attention.

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025—aimed

at easing the compliance burden by removing criminal penalties for certain minor violations—was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August before being referred to a Select Committee. The panel was tasked with submitting its report by the first day of the next session. The first edition of the Jan Vishwas law, implemented in 2023, amended 183 provisions across 42 Acts to promote ease of doing business.

Goyal also described the four new labour codes as a reflection of the trust placed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, saying both employers and employees had welcomed the consolidation of 29 labour laws. He highlighted features such as minimum wages, social security, occupational safety, and incentives to encourage greater participation of women in the workforce.

During the event, CAIT Secretary General and Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal urged the government to adopt a unified “One Nation, One Licence” framework as part of the ease-of-doing-business agenda. Goyal responded that such a system could first be proposed to state governments for experimentation, noting that while registration on the Centre’s Udyam portal is optional, traders must mandatorily register with state and local authorities. He added that CAIT could send a recommendation, which he would forward to BJP-ruled states for consideration.

Encouraging CAIT to work closely with organisations such as Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Laghu Udyog Bharti, and other trade bodies to organise Swadeshi Melas promoting “Vocal for Local”, Goyal also offered the group the opportunity to take over the Skill Development Centre in his North Mumbai constituency to strengthen ongoing skilling initiatives in the region.