LI Network
Published on: 12 September 2023 at 13:10 IST
The official statement clarified that the primary objective of this endeavor is to enhance the ease of doing business and improve the quality of life for citizens by streamlining the cumbersome compliance requirements stipulated in certain laws and regulations.
The overarching goal is to simplify, digitize, decriminalize, and rationalize these compliance measures.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, who chaired the session, underscored the importance of avoiding the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), imprisonment, or legal trials for minor infractions of these laws, which are not of a serious nature.
He suggested that instead of categorizing these infractions as criminal offenses, they could be reclassified as civil violations or be managed through administrative actions, fines, or alternative non-criminal penalties.
Kaushal instructed all administrative secretaries to submit a report within two weeks detailing their respective departments’ efforts in the decriminalization of laws and regulations. Additionally, departments have been assigned the task of scrutinizing 319 laws to identify provisions that could be potentially decriminalized.
The chief secretary stressed that the main aim of this initiative is to cultivate a business and industry-friendly environment within the state. He acknowledged that minor violations may occur as a routine part of business operations and should not be treated as criminal offenses.
Kaushal noted that various state government departments have enthusiastically embraced this initiative, resulting in the decriminalization of 28 laws to date. He added that these departments are actively engaged in the process, conducting thorough assessments of laws, rules, regulations, and notifications with the intent of reducing cumbersome compliance burdens within the state.