BHUBANESWAR: Four bills of the state government including Odisha Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026, Indian Stamp (Odisha Amendment) Bill and Odisha State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Bill,2026, were passed in the Assembly on Monday amid pandemonium and Opposition walkout.
Industries minister Sampad Chandra Swain moved the Odisha Jan Vishwas Bill, aimed at easing regulatory compliance by decriminalising minor and procedural offences and simplifying cumbersome approval processes.
Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari moved the Indian Stamp (Odisha Amendment) Bill, which seeks to simplify stamp duty and registration for apartment transactions.
The Jan Vishwas Bill proposes 62 amendments to 16 state laws under two schedules. Schedule-I contains 35 amendments aimed primarily at replacing criminal penalties for minor, technical and procedural violations with rational civil penalties, while retaining stringent action for serious, repeated or wilful violations. Schedule-II proposes 27 amendments to five laws to rationalise nine regulatory approvals, including those relating to works on public roads and temporary commercial activities.
Introducing the Bill, Swain said the measures were intended to reduce paperwork, repeated permissions and compliance costs while retaining safeguards for public health, safety and public interest. The Bill is part of the state’s Jan Vishwas 2.0 reform initiative and follows the Odisha Jan Vishwas law enacted in 2025, under which 16 state laws were rationalised.
Pujari said that the Indian Stamp Amendment Bill seeks to ease the financial burden associated with transfer of common areas and facilities in apartment projects. It proposes a nominal stamp duty of Rs 50,000 on the transfer of common areas and facilities by a promoter to the association of allottees. Registration fees for such transfers have already been capped at Rs 20,000.
The Bill also proposes a uniform 5 per cent stamp duty on transfers of apartment units, replacing the existing slab-based rates of 3 per cent for units valued up to Rs 5 lakh, 4 per cent for those between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh and 5 per cent for units above Rs 15 lakh.
The Revenue minister said the changes would make apartment registration more transparent and easier while protecting state revenue. He also pointed out that a 90 per cent exemption in stamp duty and registration fees is already available for houses provided to economically weaker sections under affordable housing schemes.