Amid disruption and chaos in the Legislative Assembly over the Maratha reservation issue, the government on Tuesday secured the passage of a Bill that allows it to levy the additional stamp duty in the form of surcharge on sale, gift, and mortgage of immovable properties in Mumbai.
Heads the state urban development department, said: "The state government recognizes the need to implement 'Vital Important Urban Transport Projects' related to mass rapid transit systems, such as Metro rail, Monorail, Bus Rapid Transport systems, freeways, and sea links, etc."
The state budget for 2018-19 has projected that the public department cross 4.16lakh crores in the year of 2019. Which could force the government to spend?
In a statement of objectives and reasons for the Bill, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the state urban development department, said: "The state government recognizes the need to implement 'Vital Important Urban Transport Projects' related to mass rapid transit systems, such as Metro rail, Monorail, Bus Rapid Transport systems, freeways, and sea links, etc."
The Bill will now be tabled in the Legislative Council. Sources, however, said that the new rate will come into effect once the government issued a notification in this regard. "We have made an enabling provision for levying the additional surcharge in the Bill," said a senior official. Provisions have also been made to allow the government to transfer the additional revenue, so collected through the surcharge, to the project implementing agencies, the official added.
Incidentally, the Bill was passed on Tuesday amid din without any discussion. In fact, pushing through official business amid the din, the government ensured the passage of eight other bills in the Assembly. These included conversion of a much-debated ordinance, issued last month, related to revisions and amendments in the functioning and the regulation of agriculture produce market committees (APMC) across the state, and new amendments introduced to the Maharashtra Goods and Services Act, 2017.
"Nine bills were cleared without any discussion today. On Monday, four other bills were cleared. It seems as if the government is not serious about a discussion on legislative agenda."
Sources said that the levy of additional stamp duty and revenue raised through betterment charges has already been factored in while planning various Metro rail models. The government has plans to replicate this for other mega infrastructure projects as well.
While the state finance department has also suggested levy cess on development rights certificates (DRC) to raise additional revenue, the urban development and housing departments have opposed the move, claiming that this would further hit affordability of housing in Mumbai.
