Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated a state-level exhibition on new criminal laws in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and performed the ground-breaking for investment proposals worth ₹4 lakh crore today. Besides, Shri Shah also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects of the Government of Rajasthan.
On this occasion, Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan, and many other dignitaries were present. In his address during the programme, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that today's event is an occasion that synergizes development and justice.
He said that a state-of-the-art exhibition is being launched here today to introduce three new criminal laws that bring fundamental changes to the country's criminal justice system and make the rights granted by the Constitution accessible to the people in a simple manner.
He added that to boost Rajasthan's development, of the ₹35 lakh crores in the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Rising Rajasthan event, ₹3 lakh crores worth have already been executed, with the ground-breaking for an additional ₹4 lakh crores in MoU occurring today.
Shri Amit Shah said that everyone associated with the criminal justice system must visit this exhibition, as it accurately showcases the significant changes that will occur in our criminal justice system in the coming days.
He said that through this exhibition, people will learn how the three new laws introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, replacing 160-year-old laws, will ensure justice within three years for any FIR filed after 2027.
Shri Shah emphasized that the new criminal laws will deliver timely, accessible, and simplified justice to the people of the country. He added that Prime Minister Modi has introduced numerous changes in the country for Ease of Living, and with the implementation of these new laws, there will also be a significant transformation in Ease of Justice.
Union Home Minister said that through the three new laws, our criminal justice system will operate with a focus on justice rather than punishment. He said that these laws have been precisely implemented across the country, and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is providing guidance to all states for their implementation and follow-up.
He emphasized that replacing laws made by the British, passed in their parliament, and designed to protect British rule with laws made by Indians, passed in the Indian Parliament, and aimed at delivering justice to Indians is a historic achievement.
Shri Amit Shah said, that in the new criminal laws, a separate chapter has been added for crimes against women and children. Provisions have been made for e-FIR and zero FIR, videography has been made mandatory for all seizures, and forensic investigation has been made compulsory for offenses carrying a punishment of more than seven years.
He said that in Rajasthan, the conviction rate was 42 per cent, which has increased to 60 per cent within just one year of implementing these laws. He expressed confidence that once these laws are fully implemented, this rate will rise from 60 per cent to as high as 90 per cent.
Shri Shah further said that for the smooth implementation of these laws, the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) was established in 2020, and affiliated colleges are being opened across the country to create a new workforce of youth trained in scientific investigation.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in the new criminal laws, terrorism, mob lynching, organized crime, and digital crime have been defined for the first time in India’s judicial system. He said that these laws specify time limits in more than 29 different provisions.
He further said that a provision for trial in absentia has also been introduced to ensure punishment for offenders who have fled the country. Shri Shah described the introduction of three new criminal laws as the biggest reform of the 21st century in India.
He said that after the full implementation of these laws, India’s criminal justice system will become the most modern criminal justice system in the world. With the enforcement of these laws, about 50 per cent of chargesheets are now being filed on time, and this rate is expected to reach 90 percent next year.
He added that the training of millions of police officers, thousands of judicial officers, FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) officials, and prison staff has also been completed. Shri Amit Shah said that today, a ground-breaking ceremony for investment proposals worth ₹4 lakh crore was held.
He said that the Bhajan Lal Sharma government of Rajasthan has successfully implemented ₹7 lakh crore worth of MoU out of the ₹35 lakh crore signed. He said that through this achievement, various types of projects will create numerous employment opportunities for the youth of Rajasthan.
He added that today, development projects worth ₹9,315 crore have also been launched. Shri Shah also said that the previous government engaged in corruption in students’ uniforms, whereas the Bhajan Lal government sent ₹240 crore via DBT for 40 lakh students.
He mentioned that over 5 lakh milk producers in Rajasthan have been given a subsidy of ₹364 crore to boost milk production. He further said that registration for the 150 free electricity units scheme has also been launched today.
Apart from this, the inauguration of 56 FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) vehicles and several police vehicles also took place. Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has decided that 100 per cent of the tur, masoor, and urad pulses produced by farmers registered with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) will be purchased at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
He said that urad is already cultivated in Rajasthan, and tur can also be grown there, encouraging the state’s farmers to register with NAFED and NCCF, after which the Government of India will procure their entire pulse production at MSP. He further said that to make the country self-reliant in the field of pulses and oilseeds, farmers will need to increase their production.