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Bhubaneswar, Oct 10 (IANS) The Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved several key proposals, including the Odisha Public Trust Ordinance, 2025, which aims to reduce minor regulatory offenses and streamline compliance in 16 state acts.
The state cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi on Friday, approved 15 proposals of ten departments. In a major step towards trust-based governance, the Odisha government has approved the Odisha Public Trust Ordinance, 2025, which aims to reduce minor regulatory offenses and streamline compliance across 16 state Acts.
“The Government of Odisha (GoO) today announced the approval of the Odisha Public Trust Ordinance, 2025, a landmark legal reform to decriminalize minor and procedural regulatory offences, rationalize penalties and eliminate unnecessary compliance burden from selected state laws,” the state government said in a press statement on Friday.
The ordinance is in line with the Government of India’s Public Trust (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which advocates replacing criminal penalties for non-serious defaults with proportionate civil sanctions.
Odisha’s reform initiative included a comprehensive review of nine departments and 16 old state acts. The key point is that the Ordinance replaces imprisonment and criminal fines for minor offenses with graded civil penalties.
This ensured faster resolution with inquiries and decisions on appeals being taken by authorized officers, reducing litigation costs and delays. The ordinance includes laws relating to municipal administration, gambling, labor welfare, fire safety, excise duty, electricity duty and co-operative societies, among others.
Acts under reform after the approval of the Ordinance include, Odisha Nurses and Midwives Registration Act, 1938, Odisha Municipal Act, 1950, Odisha Gambling Prevention Act, 1955, Odisha Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1956, Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust Act, 1956, Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, etc.
“Together, these reforms enhance the ease of doing business (EODB) and ease of living (EOL), strengthen investor confidence and position Odisha as a more accessible, citizen-centric and growth-oriented state. As Odisha moves towards its goal of a developed Odisha, this Ordinance exemplifies how good governance, citizen-friendly laws and investor confidence can go hand in hand.” are – supporting economic growth, social welfare, and sustainable development,” the state government further said.
–IANS
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