CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Cabinet on Monday decided to reduce stamp duty charged on loan agreements or memorandum of agreement under the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 to Rs 100 from Rs 2,000.
The reduction will secure the interests of small and marginal farmers, agriculturists as well as those who have availed small loans under differential Rate of Interest (DRI), vehicles loans, persons willing to avail locker facility and those who seek to avail loans under schemes of marginal loans, an official statement said.
The reduction will benefit all categories of the society, it added. The reduced stamp duty shall apply to all loan agreements which are executed by such borrowers in favour of banks, financial institutions, financial development corporations, among others.
The Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister M L Khattar, also gave approval to separation of Kalka and Pinjore areas from limits of Municipal Corporation, Panchkula and constitution of a separate Municipal Council, Kalka.
The Cabinet felt that common municipal body for Kalka and Pinjore area by separating it from Municipal Corporation, Panchkula will be highly convenient for people of Kalka and Pinjore area to avail various municipal services at a convenient nearest place which will reduce time, distance and cost, the statement said.
The area of existing Panchkula Municipal Corporation will now be divided into two areas. The Panchkula area would include 21 villages and erstwhile Municipal Council of Panchkula.
Pinjore would include 22 villages, while Kalka will have 11 villages, it said. The Cabinet also allowed compounding of challans issued by Haryana Police for violations of provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 during the coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions in the state.
Haryana Police had impounded around 6,500 vehicles during March 24 to May 31 for violations of provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Keeping in view the grievances of public in times of COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided that a maximum penalty amount of Rs 500 for two-wheelers, Rs 1,000 for cars and jeeps, and Rs 2,000 for transport vehicles will be charged as compounding fees from these three categories of vehicles against whom no FIRs have been registered (for violation of lockdown norms), it said.
In another decision, the cabinet accorded approval for a policy for allotment of urban local bodies' land for social/religious/charitable purpose to trusts/private institutions.
The state government and Urban Local Bodies Department have been receiving applications/representations from various religious, social and community groups, charitable institutions for allotment of urban local bodies' land for community purposes at various places in the state, the statement said.
As per the new policy, land of concerned urban local bodies up to a maximum size of 3,000 square metres can be allotted for a place of worship, community, dharmashala, among others.
Under this, the tentative rate of sale of up to 2,000 square metres shall be at 50 per cent of collector rate, and proportionate cost of development of area and other incidental charges will be imposed.
The Cabinet also gave approval for formation of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Lohgarh Foundation (Trust).
This decision was taken in pursuance of announcement of chief minister on November 12, 2017 that a trust would be set up to support co-ordinated efforts and take forward various initiatives promoting research, preservation and development of various sites relating to Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
The recent evidences at Lohgarh have highlighted the need for putting in place a robust mechanism, with the help of domain experts, to preserve the rich legacy and values embodied by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, the statement said. The trustees of the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Lohgarh Foundation (Trust) will include chief minister.