- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:43 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Aligning with the Centre’s directives, the Uttarakhand government has intensified efforts to decriminalise minor offences across departments by removing or reducing prison terms and replacing them with higher monetary penalties. The state cabinet has approved the Uttarakhand Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Ordinance 2025, marking the first major phase of this reform.
Under the ordinance, penal provisions in seven laws have been amended. While prison terms have been scrapped or curtailed in several cases, fines have been substantially increased, with a provision to raise penalty amounts by 3 per cent every three years. The government has identified 52 Acts in total where similar changes will be introduced.
According to officials, the Uttarakhand Jan Vishwas initiative aims to align state regulations with the Union government’s ‘Jan Vishwas’ framework, which focuses on shifting from criminal penalties to administrative fines for minor, non-malicious regulatory violations. The objective is to boost ease of doing business, reduce judicial burden, rationalise compliance processes, and promote a governance model centred on transparency and efficiency.
Key Amendments Across Seven Acts:
*Uttarakhand Public Service Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections Act
- Imprisonment removed.
- Fine raised from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000.
*Uttarakhand Organic Agriculture Act
- One-year imprisonment provision removed.
- Fine fixed between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh.
- Additional penalty of Rs 1,000 per day for delayed payment.
*Uttarakhand Fruit Nursery Regulation Act
- Imprisonment revised to 1-6 months.
- Fine fixed between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh.
- Under the Plastic and Non-Biodegradable Waste Regulation Act, imprisonment was reduced from three months to one month.
*Uttarakhand Flood Plain Zoning Act
- Fine of up to Rs 5,000; additional Rs 1,000 per day for non-compliance.
- Repeat or grave violations attract a Rs 20,000 fine and two months' imprisonment.
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*Uttarakhand River Valley Development and Management Act
- Fine of Rs 5,000 for obstructing authorised officers.
- First offence: Rs 2,000-Rs 10,000 fine; repeat offence: Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 fine.
- Destructive offences may draw a Rs 50,000 fine, two months’ imprisonment, or both.
*Uttarakhand Slum Regulation and Rehabilitation Act
- Imprisonment term reduced from six months to three months.
- Fine of Rs 500 per day for continued violations.
Officials stated that the reforms will replace criminalisation with constructive regulatory mechanisms, supporting entrepreneurship, investment, and citizen-centric governance.
