In an important decision meant to provide succour to the disaster-hit people of the State, the Harish Rawat Government in a Cabinet meeting held in Haridwar on Saturday decided to give victims 100 per cent relief on stamp duty. Following the decision, disaster-hit people would be exempted from paying stamp duty when they buy land to build houses in any part of the State.
However, it was stressed that the land thus acquired would not be allowed to be used for commercial purposes. The Government has waived off VAT on the purchase of duster and scale. Besides, the Government has reduced the volume of VAT on scrap like aluminum and iron. Also, the Cabinet has approved additional Rs200 crore in disaster relief and rehabilitation works. In another important decision, the Cabinet has also upgraded three Nagar Panchayats as municipalities. The Cabinet has approved Rs200 crore for the execution of Ardh Kumbh-related works aside from approving Rs32 crore for the construction of hill by- pass.
Interacting with the media after the meeting, the CM said they have demanded Rs1000 crore from the BJP-led NDA Government for Ardh Kumbh preparations, but the Central Government is yet to reply. “Despite this, the State Government would continue to execute the work. We have allocated Rs200 crore additional fund for the Ardh Kumbh-related work,” he said, reiterating that the State Government’s commitment on the construction of permanent structures for Ardh Kumbh.
“We have asked the officials to execute 75 per cent construction work with the end in view so as to enable the local people to reap benefits in future,” he said. CM Rawat seems to have trained his gun on the former BJP-led Uttarakhand Government, which was in power when Kumbh Mela-2010 was held in Haridwar as then there was no such stress on permanent structures being constructed.Also, from now onwards the Government will collect mere five per cent on aluminum and iron scrap that earlier was 13.5 per cent.