Govt Accelerates Efforts To Reduce Industry Compliance Burden

New Delhi, Aug 21 (KNN) The central government is intensifying its efforts to reduce regulatory compliance burden on industries through comprehensive reforms aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business in India. 

This initiative builds upon previous measures to decriminalize minor offenses and represents a significant shift toward streamlining business operations.

Speaking at a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) event on Tuesday, Himani Pande, Additional Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), emphasized that reducing compliance burden takes precedence over decriminalization efforts. 

She indicated that the government is operating in "fast track mode" to address these regulatory challenges facing the business community.

The government has already introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha as part of this comprehensive reform initiative. 

The legislation, developed by DPIIT, proposes significant amendments to the existing regulatory framework governing business operations in the country.

The proposed bill encompasses amendments to 355 provisions across 16 central laws administered by 10 different government departments and ministries. 

Of these amendments, 288 provisions are set to be decriminalized specifically to improve ease of doing business, while 67 provisions will be modified to enhance ease of living for citizens.

The legislative reform aims to reduce pressure on the judicial system by shifting focus from criminal prosecutions to civil penalties for minor or unintentional regulatory violations. 

This approach is expected to create a more business-friendly environment while maintaining necessary oversight mechanisms.

Pande acknowledged that decriminalization alone cannot adequately address compliance challenges facing industries. She explained that while decriminalization removes criminal liability, the underlying compliance requirements remain intact, necessitating additional reforms to achieve meaningful regulatory relief.

The DPIIT official outlined a three-pronged approach to addressing compliance issues: simplifying existing requirements where possible, reducing compliance obligations when feasible, and implementing greater digitization to facilitate easier adherence to remaining regulations. 

She encouraged industry stakeholders to provide specific feedback regarding compliance challenges to enable more targeted regulatory improvements.

The deregulation initiative extends beyond the central government level, with the Cabinet Secretariat actively coordinating efforts across state governments. 

According to Pande, specialised task forces have been established to review regulatory frameworks in multiple states, with each task force member assigned responsibility for monitoring progress in specific regions.

This comprehensive approach to regulatory reform represents the government's commitment to creating a more conducive business environment while maintaining necessary safeguards. 

The initiative is expected to significantly impact various sectors by reducing bureaucratic obstacles and streamlining operational requirements for businesses across the country.

(KNN Bureau)