Compliance Burden Reduction: Govt Reviews Metrology & Explosives Laws

New Delhi, Dec 6 (PTI) The government is looking at various provisions of The Legal Metrology Act and The Explosives Act for decriminalising and compounding minor offences with an aim to further reduce compliance burden and improve the business environment of the country, an official said.

This exercise is part of an effort of the commerce and industry ministry to bring the second edition of the Jan Viswas law, under which over 180 provisions were decriminalised in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 ministries and departments.

The ministry is also requesting states to do the similar exercise to promote ease of doing business and living both.

"We are working on the Jan Viswas Bill 2.0. A working group of different ministries has been set up. We have formed smaller groups for individual legislation also. That exercise is on," the official said, adding that after the exercise is over, the bill will be put before the parliament for consideration.

The official added that in "The Legal Metrology Act, there are areas which could be decriminalised and even in The Explosives Act, there are some cases where we can do compounding. We will certainly try to remove the criminal provisions, at least for minor and technical offences".

Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had sought suggestions from the industry on the proposed Jan Vishwas bill 2.0.

Under the first Jan Vishwas law, imprisonment and/or fine are removed in some provisions.

Some of the legislations that were amended included The Boilers Act, The Indian Forest Act, The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, The Warehousing Corporations Act, The Food Corporations Act, The Patents Act, and The Food Safety and Standards Act.