NT Reporter | Panaji
The state government has advanced its legal reform agenda by approving sweeping changes under the Jan Vishwas initiative, converting imprisonment clauses in 28 state Acts into monetary penalties.
“The state cabinet has cleared amendments under the Goa Jan Vishwas initiative to decriminalise minor offences in 28 laws by replacing imprisonment provisions with fines,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.
The step forms part of the broader decriminalisation process adopted by the Union government, aimed at reducing compliance burdens and modernising regulatory frameworks.
Sawant said the move is designed to make the state’s legal regime less punitive and more facilitative, ensuring that minor procedural or technical violations no longer attract criminal prosecution. The government is expected to continue reviewing other Acts to identify sections that may be rationalised in a similar manner.
The cabinet also cleared a proposal amending the rules for priority compassionate appointments for dependents who have lost both parents. Sawant said that approximately 800 applications for jobs under compassionate appointments are pending. With the amendment, the government will prioritise appointments for orphans who have lost both parents, he said, adding that the government has been giving jobs to the next of kin of government servants who die in service due to various reasons.
