Goyal says Jan Vishwas 2026 Act aims at ease of doing business: what are the changes in new law?

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said the Jan Vishwas Act 2026 aims to improve ease of doing business while ensuring strict action against wilful violations. 

Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Goyal said, “it seeks to focus on reforms rather than punishment.”

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, was passed by Parliament this week, with the Rajya Sabha approving it on Thursday, a day after it cleared the Lok Sabha. 

“The #JanVishwasBill2026 truly is a milestone in the PM @NarendraModi ji-led Government's efforts to boost Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business. The reduced compliance burden is set to benefit citizens, MSMEs, small businesses & startups, ushering in a more enabling and transparent ecosystem,” the minister wrote on X.

Is the ease of doing business is a reality now?

The law is likely to boost ease of doing business by easing compliance requirements and removing the risk of imprisonment for minor and technical violations.

“The aim of the bill is not to control common people but to benefit them and enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business. For the first time, one thousand offences across 79 Acts have been decriminalised through the Jan Vishwas Bill,” Goyal said. 

What are the changes in the new bill?

The Act proposes wide-ranging changes, including amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts handled by 23 ministries. It seeks to decriminalise 717 provisions to promote ease of doing business and amend 67 provisions to improve ease of living.

It also aims to rationalise more than 1,000 offences by removing outdated provisions and shifting the focus from criminal penalties for minor and procedural lapses to civil and administrative actions.

Key measures include replacing imprisonment for minor violations with monetary penalties or warnings, introducing graded enforcement mechanisms and aligning fines with the severity of offences. First-time violations may attract warnings instead of strict penalties.

To improve enforcement, the Act provides for the appointment of adjudicating officers and the creation of appellate authorities. Officials said this will help in faster resolution of cases, reduce litigation burden on courts and ensure adherence to principles of natural justice.

The legislation also proposes 67 amendments under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as part of the broader effort to streamline regulations and improve governance.