Itanagar, April 4: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu described the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, passed by Parliament on Thursday, as a significant step toward trust-based governance.

The bill amends 784 provisions across 79 central laws, aiming to decriminalize minor offenses, improve the ease of doing business, and reduce harassment.

In posts on X, Khandu highlighted the reforms as a shift from fear-driven penalties to compliance, fairness, and trust. Key provisions include issuing warnings before punishment, applying proportionate penalties, speeding up dispute resolution, and introducing a dynamic penalty system.

He noted that the legislation updates India’s colonial-era laws, replacing excessive criminalization with balanced punishments. “From Rs 10 fines of 1871 to policies for 2026—this is reform, New India,” Khandu wrote.

The Jan Vishwas Bill decriminalizes over 1,000 offenses, simplifies 717 business-related provisions, and introduces 67 citizen-centric reforms across 23 ministries. It converts criminal penalties into civil penalties, removes imprisonment for first-time defaults, and allows faster compounding of cases.

Specific changes include amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which now avoids jail for minor non-disclosures, and the repeal of provisions in the outdated Coir Industry Act, 1953.

Khandu said the legislation marks a shift from “red tape to reform, control to trust,” promoting a citizen-friendly environment. “Less fear, more trust. Simpler laws, better lives. A future-ready Bharat,” he added.