Jan Vishwas Act, 2026: Drugs and Food Safety Law Reforms

Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 reforms in drugs and food-safety laws operationalised

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Battle Brief

The Government has operationalised Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 reforms to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Health Ministry said on 26 June 2026. Minor and technical violations now attract administrative penalties instead of criminal cases, while spurious or adulterated products still face strict punishment.

Fact File

Release: 26 Jun 2026, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Law: Jan Vishwas Act, 2026
Acts amended: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
Approach: decriminalise minor violations; administrative penalties
Unchanged: strict penalties for spurious or adulterated cosmetics
New machinery: Adjudicating Authorities and an Appeal Mechanism

In the news

Jan Vishwas reforms in health laws: what happened?

A small labelling error should not land a businessperson in criminal court, but a fake medicine should. The Jan Vishwas approach separates the two: fines through officials for paperwork lapses, and the full force of law for real threats to health.

Section 29 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (penalty up to ₹1 lakh for using a Government Analyst’s report in ads) omitted.
Low-risk cosmetic violations, such as minor quality or labelling defects, now face administrative penalties.
Section 28A procedural violations (records, information) converted to administrative penalties.
Food safety: court fines for false complaints against Food Safety Officers now administrative; jail for interfering with seized items cut from six to three months.
Obstructing a Food Safety Officer removed from the FSS Act, as the BNS already covers it.

Back Story

Why decriminalise minor offences?

To build trust-based governance and reduce compliance burden.
To ensure proportionate enforcement without weakening public health safeguards.

Why examiners care

Why does Jan Vishwas reforms in health laws matter?

Business: Lower compliance burden and faster case disposal.
Public health: Serious offences stay criminal.

Exam Radar

What can Prelims ask on Jan Vishwas reforms in health laws?

Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 amends the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and FSS Act, 2006.
Section 29 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act omitted.
Interfering with seized items: imprisonment cut from six to three months.

How to use this in Mains

GS-II Governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance

As per PIB (2026-06-26): reforms under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 relating to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 were operationalised, decriminalising some minor and technical violations and replacing criminal penalties with proportionate ones.
Trust-based regulation reduces compliance burden while keeping public-health safeguards.

Quotable data point
Reforms under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 relating to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 were operationalised, decriminalising some minor and technical violations and replacing criminal penalties with proportionate ones.
PIB: Health: Jan Vishwas reforms, 26 Jun 2026

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

Under the Jan Vishwas reforms, the punishment for interfering with seized items under the FSS Act was reduced from

Answer (b) & explanation

PIB (Health), 26 Jun 2026.

Quick questions

Questions students ask about this

What does the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 change in health laws?

It replaces criminal proceedings for certain minor and technical violations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the FSS Act with administrative penalties.

Are serious offences decriminalised?

No. Offences involving spurious or adulterated cosmetics, which affect consumer safety, still attract strict penal provisions.

Why was the offence of obstructing a Food Safety Officer omitted?

Because such offences are already covered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, avoiding duplication.