Fuel, property set to get costlier in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 11

Petrol and diesel, apart from buying of immovable property in Punjab, are set to become expensive with the Cabinet today deciding to levy special Infrastructure Development (ID) fee.

To be deposited in the Development Fund of Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), the state government will be taking the ordinance route to impose the levy. The levies would be imposed once approved by the Governor. The government is likely to introduce the levies after the civic body polls.

The special ID fee would be imposed at Rs 0.25 per litre each on the sale of petrol and diesel within the state. Likewise, special ID fee at Rs 0.25 would also be levied for every Rs 100 of the value of purchase of immovable property. The move would lead to creation of additional revenue streams of around Rs 216.16 crore annually into the Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).

Likewise, the Cabinet, led by CM Capt Amarinder Singh, also approved certain amendments in the Punjab Infrastructure (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, through promulgation of an ordinance and thereafter introducing a Bill viz the Punjab Infrastructure (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

To effect the imposition of special ID fee, an amendment would be made in the existing provision by inserting a new section 25-A Levy of Special Fee, which stipulates: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the state government may impose the special ID fee for purpose of which a special head shall be created under which the accrued special ID fee shall be collected and deposited to the Development Fund created under the provisions of Section 27(1).”

One-time settlement scheme approved

• In a reprieve to the business community, especially the small and medium businessmen, the “Punjab One Time Settlement Scheme for Recovery of Outstanding Dues-2021” was approved
• It would facilitate clearing and settling pending arrears, putting a financial burden of Rs121.06 crore on the state exchequer
• The scheme would be implemented from February 1 under which all dealers whose assessments had been framed up to December 31, 2020, could apply till April 30

Yes to Acquisition of Malerkotla Palace

• To preserve glorious heritage of the state, the Cabinet approved acquisition, conservation and use of Mubarik Manzil Palace, Malerkotla, in Sangrur
• To facilitate the acquisition, the government will provide Rs3 crore to Begum Munawwar-ul-Nisa, owner of the property, as consideration for transferring property with all its rights to the state government

Info Dept rejig

To bring in more efficiency in the functioning of the Information and Public Relations Department in the changed scenario, the Cabinet approved the plan to restructure it