Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa government has advanced its legal reform agenda by approving sweeping changes under the Jan Vishwaas initiative, converting imprisonment clauses in 28 state Acts into monetary penalties. Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant said the step mirrors the 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 can be rationalised in a similar manner.
Alongside the decriminalisation measures, the Cabinet cleared several administrative decisions. These include an amendment to Section 32 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, reducing the time for issuance of Sanad from 60 days to 45 days; approval of priority compassionate appointments for dependents who have lost both parents; and a road tax waiver for iron ore transportation trucks for FY 2025–26 and 2026–27, valid until March 2027.
Officials said the combined reforms are aimed at improving citizen services, reducing delays in administrative processes, and supporting economic activity through streamlined compliance norms.
