Jan Vishwas Ordinance: Minor offenses will not result in jail time, but fines will be imposed; Rajasthan government has amended these laws.

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Bhajan Lal Sharma Cabinet approved the Rajasthan Public Trusts Ordinance, which aims to ease life and ease of doing business, similar to the Central Government's Public Trusts (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.

The Rajasthan Public Trusts (Amendment of Provisions) Ordinance, 2025, eliminates jail terms for minor or technical violations under 11 state laws and replaces them with monetary penalties. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said the Public Trusts Ordinance is being introduced to “promote ease of living and ease of doing business” and help reduce litigation.

Many laws will be changed after the ordinance

Under this ordinance, several laws will undergo significant changes. For example, the Forest Act, which previously imposed a jail term of up to six months for grazing cattle on forest land, has been removed. Now, only fines and compensation for damages will apply.

The government claims that the amendment will benefit tribal and rural communities, who often face criminal action for inadvertently entering forest areas.

Similarly, the Industrial Units Act will no longer allow jail sentences for minor procedural offenses, such as failing to produce documents for inspections in state-aided industries. These provisions will now only carry financial penalties, providing relief to MSMEs and reducing the fear of inspector raj.

The Jaipur Water Supply and Sewerage Board Act has also been amended, removing jail terms for minor offenses such as water wastage, blockage of sewer lines, or unauthorized connections; such violations will now only attract fines.

Under the Rajasthan State Assistance Act, failure to submit accounts or documents will no longer result in imprisonment. Similarly, cutting trees from agricultural land, which previously carried a jail sentence, has now been increased to a fine of up to 2,000 rupees. 

Earlier, the punishment for damaging forest wealth was 6 months imprisonment, now it has been increased to a fine of Rs 5,000.

Connecting a water connection without permission will now only result in a fine. Similarly, obstructing sewerage lines will now require a fine instead of a jail sentence. Non-domestic water use will attract a fine. Other technical violations will require a fine instead of a jail sentence.

What did the Parliamentary Affairs Minister say?

Jogaram Patel said, "This ordinance will provide freedom from litigation to small industries and forest-dependent communities, who often spend years fighting cases over technical errors. He said the government wants to create an environment of trust rather than fear. It is hoped that these reforms will greatly benefit the state's industrial and commercial sectors by eliminating jail terms for minor paperwork errors and reducing lengthy court processes."

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