Goa Aims to Decriminalise Minor Offences, Promote Trust-Based Governance
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The Goa government has introduced a landmark bill in the state assembly, aiming to decriminalise minor offences and promote trust-based governance. The Goa Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026, seeks to replace imprisonment provisions with monetary penalties for minor infractions such as illegal construction, land misuse, encroachments, and waste dumping. The bill, tabled in the assembly on Tuesday, proposes to remove criminal liability for minor violations and rationalise fines and penalties across multiple state laws. This move is expected to improve administrative efficiency, reduce litigation, and enable enforcement agencies to focus on serious offences. The bill targets over a dozen state enactments, including laws governing excise, waste management, fire services, and civic administration. It aims to reduce the compliance burden on citizens and businesses by ensuring that minor procedural lapses do not result in criminal prosecution. Key features of the bill include the substitution of imprisonment and prosecution clauses with graded penalties, particularly in laws such as the Goa Fire Force Act, 1986. The bill also prescribes steep penalties for illegal construction or land misuse in waste management areas and enhances penalties for violations such as encroachments and waste dumping. Additionally, the bill introduces a provision for automatic revision of fines and penalties by 10 per cent every three years to prevent erosion of deterrence due to inflation and time lag in legislative updates. The bill seeks to repeal the Goa Jan Vishwas Ordinance, 2025, while protecting actions already taken under it through a savings clause. The Goa Jan Vishwas Bill is expected to be taken up for a detailed discussion at a later stage, with the government aiming to promote trust-based governance and ease of living and doing business in the state.
