Odisha Cabinet approves Jan Vishwas Ordinance 2025 to decriminalise minor regulatory offences
Odisha’s state cabinet gave the green light to a package of reforms on Friday, including the Odisha Jan Vishwas Ordinance, 2025. The ordinance will drop criminal punishments for minor regulatory offences and simplify compliance across 16 state laws.
The move came under Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s chairmanship. A total of 15 proposals from ten departments were on the table. The most publicised is the Jan Vishwas Ordinance, a landmark change that replaces jail time and criminal fines with civil penalties for low‑level infractions.
Odisha’s law‑makers say the ordinance aligns with the 2023 Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act introduced by the central government. That act encourages governments to swap criminal penalties for proportional civil fines when defaults are not serious.
Key features of the ordinance include:
- Graded civil penalties instead of imprisonment for minor violations.
- Faster resolution through authorised officials handling enquiries and appeals, cutting back on court delays and litigation costs.
- Coverage of laws that affect daily life and business, such‑as municipal governance, gambling bans, labour welfare, fire safety, excise, electricity duty, and cooperative societies.
The ordinance will amend older statutes, including:
- Odisha Nurses and Midwives Registration Act, 1938
- Odisha Municipal Act, 1950
- Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955
- Odisha Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1956
- Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust Act, 1956
- Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956
State officials say the changes will improve Odisha’s “Ease of Doing Business” and “Ease of Living.” By making the legal environment friendlier to investors and citizens, Odisha aims to build confidence, support economic growth, and move toward a more sustainable, citizen‑centric future.
This reform is positioned as a step toward Viksit Odisha, demonstrating how good governance, user‑friendly law, and investor confidence can work together for the state’s overall development.
Source: ianslive
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