Covid disruption: Haryana grants relief to realtors, CLU users

From providing relief to real estate and other industry, creating new motor vehicles department to challan traffic rule violators, allowing transport vehicle registration at dealers’ end, and increase in old-age pension, the Haryana Cabinet led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday approved a slew of measures.

In big relief to the real estate industry and change of land-use permission (CLU) holders and entrepreneurs affected by the disruption caused by second wave of Covid-19, the Cabinet approved to treat the period from April 1 till May 31 as “zero period” for the purposes of interest on payment of renewal fee of licence on delayed period, submission of fresh bank guarantee on account of grant of license and (penal) interest on payment of instalment of external development works (EDC), state infrastructure development charges (SIDC) during this period, letter of intent/ permissions/ building plan approval/extension of CLU permission and licences and renewal of licenses and related compliances.

This is in line with various relief measures granted by the Centre for various sectors of economy.

The colonisers have also been granted relief of interest on the pending dues and for time bound compliances. “The colonisers shall pass on the corresponding benefits to their allottees to ensure that the hardships faced by the end users also get mitigated to that extent,” a government spokesperson said.

The Cabinet also decided to notify the scheme for reimbursement of GST on Covid related items. The Excise and Taxation Department will administer the scheme which will remain in force up to June 30. “The move would certainly encourage the efforts and further facilitate the donation of such items by way of reimbursement of GST, if any, already paid on such Covid related items. In view of the surge in Covid-19 cases, Haryana confronted an acute shortage of liquid medical oxygen and other health equipment such as ventilators, medicines etc. A large number of corporates, NGOs and individuals are coming forward to help the state government in its efforts to augment the health infrastructure and equipment by way of donating such material to medical facilities,” the spokesperson said.

“Reimbursement of GST shall be subject to the following conditions that such Covid-related material shall be donated free of cost to the Government of Haryana, hospitals run by it, or any hospital/institution permitted by state government to receive such material through Health and Family Welfare, Department, Haryana Government. The Detail modalities for reimbursement of GST (including State, Centre and IGST) shall be determined by Finance Department in consultation with Health and Family Welfare Department and Excise and Taxation Department”, the spokesperson added.

Firms, dealers allowed to register transport vehicles

The Cabinet also decided to put in place the system of registration of new fully built-up transport vehicles through the dealers in the state. “The decision would facilitate the vehicle owners to get their new fully built-up transport vehicles registered through the dealer concerned. The process will be cashless and faceless. Footfall in the offices of registering authorities will come down considerably”, government spokesperson said. According to the decision, “A firm, dealer, or manufacturer of motor vehicles would be empowered by the state government to perform such functions with such conditions as it considers appropriate with regard to registration of vehicles on their first sale”.

The registration of such vehicles will now be possible online by the dealers as is being done at present in the case of new non-transport vehicles.

More than 48.80 lakh new personal vehicles have been registered through dealer point registration in the last seven years. Encouraged by its success, the system is now being extended to fully built up transport vehicles with a view to improve ease of doing business. The applicant will apply online along with the required taxes and fees. There will be no offline activity. The registration certificate will be sent to the applicant by the registering authority concerned through the post. No direct interface of the buyer shall be needed with the registration authorities.

Motor vehicles department reconstituted

Cabinet decided to reconstitute Motor Vehicles Department by giving powers of challaning and compounding traffic offences.

“Under the new Rules amended vide Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendments) Rules 2021 the officers — namely Transport Commissioner, Director General/Director, State Transport, Haryana, Deputy Commissioner of the District, Superintendent of Police, Additional Deputy Commissioners, Additional/Joint State Transport Commissioner, Additional/Joint Director, State Transport, Secretary, Regional Transport Authority, Sub Divisional Officer (Civil)-cum-Registering Authority (Motors), City Magistrate, General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Flying Squad Officer, Traffic Manager, Motor Vehicle Officer (Enforcement), Motor Vehicle Inspector (Enforcement), Assistant Secretary, Regional Transport Authority and Police Officer not below the rank of ASI have been appointed as the officers of Motor Vehicles Department. These officers of the Motor Vehicles Department shall exercise the powers of challaning for various traffic offences”, government spokesperson said.

As per the Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendments) Rules 2021, the “challaning officers of the police department of and above the rank of ASI will also be deemed to be challaning officer outside municipal cities and towns pertaining to the offence committed under the sections mentioned in the said Act”.

HPSC member strength reduced

Cabinet approved amendment of the Haryana Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 2018. As per the amendment the number of members of the HPSC has been reduced from the existing eight to five, in addition to the Chairman, by amending Regulation 3 of the HPSC (Conditions of Service) Regulation, 2018.

Social security pensions enhanced

The Cabinet also approved to increase the rate of pension, allowance and financial assistance under various schemes with retrospective effect from April 1, 2021. The financial assistance given under the Old Age Samman Allowance Scheme, Haryana Pension to Widows and Destitute Women Scheme, Haryana Handicapped Persons Pension Scheme, Ladli Social Security Allowance Scheme, Haryana Allowance to Dwarfs Scheme and Haryana Allowance to Eunuchs Scheme has been increased from Rs. 2,250 to Rs 2,500 per month.

Financial assistance given to Destitute Children Scheme has also been increased from Rs 1350 to Rs. 1600 per month and the financial assistance given to Non-School Going Disabled Children has been increased from Rs 1650 to Rs 1950 per month.