From April the regulator will be able to hand out fines of up to £500,000 to companies who break the rules.
Revealing the details, Ed Vaizey, digital economy minister said the government was also hoping to bring in measures to hold board-level executives responsible.
"For far too long companies have bombarded people with unwanted marketing calls and texts, and escaped punishment because they did not cause enough harm."
"This change will make it easier for the Information Commissioner's Office to take action against offenders and send a clear message to others that harassing consumers with nuisance calls or texts is just not on," he added.
Cold-call victim Lee Beaumont took revenge on his telephone tormentors by turning his home number into a 0871 premium rate line making hundreds from the calls he has received.
Speaking on Premier's 'News Hour', he questioned whether would take any notice of the new rules, Mr Beaumont said: "I was on the TPS, and the TPS is a list of phone numbers that companies should not be calling. But they call them anyway.
"So even though there are new regulations, bigger fines easier to fine companies; it won't stop them at all."
Cold-call victim Lee Beaumont: