M A I N   N E W S

Power costlier in urban Haryana
Hike in driving licence fee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 2 — Within hours of the conclusion of civic poll in the state, the Haryana Government today approved a number of fund-raising measures which would offset the impact of the populist step of abolition of octroi to a large extent.

Electricity would be costlier by four paise per unit in the urban areas, registration of motor vehicles would become dear, driving licence fee would go up and now house tax would be levied at the market rental value of a property.

An official spokesman said here this evening that these decision had been taken by the Cabinet “with a view to enabling the newly/elected municipal councillors of the civic bodies to fulfil the aspirations of the people... and as a gesture of goodwill... and to provide them (civic bodies) a strong financial base.”

Now the electricity duty in the urban areas would go up from one paise per unit to five paise per unit, as recommended by the State Finance Commission, which was constituted to suggest ways and means to mop up resources.

It was also decided to impose a municipal tax on motor vehicles payable to the registering authority at the time of new registration or payment of token tax. It would be Rs. 50 lumpsum for moped, Rs 100 for scooter and motor-cycle and Rs. 500 for car. It would be five per cent of the quarterly token tax in case of buses, LTV, truck, taxi etc. There will also be a tax of Rs 100 on each driving licence, which would generate Rs 1.5 crore annually.

In addition, different categories of commercial, manufacturing and other establishments will have to pay a tax. between Rs. 1000 and Rs 2500 annually. This would fetch Rs 3.5 crore per annum.

With a view to improving the fire-fighting services in the urban areas, the Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Local Bodies Department to impose fire tax, which would be one per cent of the annual value for the assessed house tax.

As the Government had committed in the Vidhan Sabha that the tax on building and land (House Tax) would be rationalised, it has been decided to revise this tax on the pattern of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, to remove arbitrariness and corruption. This measure is expected to increase the present revenue from this source by at least 50 per cent to 75 per cent.These measures would generate additional resources amounting to Rs 25 crore to Rs 30 crore per annum and would make up the loss suffered by municipal bodies by abolishing octroi to some extent. It will also improve the financial health of the municipal bodies.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal to introduce local Area Development Tax, the need for which was being felt after the abolition of octroi. The item to be taxed would be decided shortly.

The Cabinet also decided to introduce transit challan in revised form, ST-38, to check evasion of sales tax. The scheme would be effective from July 1 next.

The spokesman said the decision was taken in view of the fact that after the abolition of octroi there was no other means to check the sales tax evasion in transit.

When octroi was abolished by the Chautala Government, the Opposition had warned that this would lead to large-scale evasion of sales tax.

The Government had decided not to introduce any sales tax barriers in the state. The inter-state and intra-state movement of goods would be regulated by a duly signed challan which would be compulsory for movement of goods, except in three categories.

The Cabinet also approved an amendment to Section 37 of the Haryana General Sales Tax Act of 1973. It was also decided that the Haryana Roads and Bridges Development Corporation would spend Rs 217.39 crore on the development and upgradation of state highways. The Cabinet also approved the notification regarding the final transfer of assets and liabilities of the erstwhile HSEB to the HVPN and the Haryana Power Generation Corporation.

70 pc turnout in civic poll
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 2 — The Haryana State Election Commissioner, Mr T.D. Jogpal, claimed here today that the civic poll in the State was held peacefully today barring one incident of booth-capturing in one of the wards of Gurgaon.

He said repoll had been ordered in Ward no 6 of Gurgaon Municipal Council. A report from the Deputy Commissioner said certain persons entered the polling station and snatched about 200 ballot papers. After stamping the ballot papers the miscreants put them in ballot boxes.

Mr Jogpal said over 60 per cent polling had been recorded in Ambala

district, about 80 per cent in Dadri, about 60 per cent in Faridabad Municipal Corporation, 65 per cent in Fatehabad Municipal Committee, 65 per cent in Gurgaon Municipal Council, 80 per cent in Hisar Municipal Council, 70 per cent in Barwala, about 80 per cent in Mahendragarh, over 80 per cent in Guhla Cheeka, 55 per cent in Yamunanagar, 65 per cent in Jagadhari, 80 per cent in Kurukshetra, about 80 per cent in Jhajjar, 60 per cent in Rewari, about 70 per cent in Panipat, 75 per cent in Karnal and 65 per cent in Panchkula district.

He said that more than 70 per cent polling was recorded in the municipal elections. The highest polling of 85 per cent was recorded in Kurukshetra while the lowest of 50 per cent was in Faridabad, he added.

More than 24 lakh voters exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 4,886 candidates contesting for the Faridabad corporation, 17 municipal councils and 30 municipal committees all over the State, Mr Jogpal said.

As many as 54 candidates had been declared elected unopposed, he said, adding that counting had begun at all places. The Election Department had established 2,656 polling stations and 1,800 polling staff was deployed for smooth conduct of the municipal elections, he said.

He said that the Election Department had also appointed 23 senior IAS officers as observers and 49 officials from the Excise and Taxation Department as expenditure observers.