Collector rates rose 25 per cent on average from 2004 to 2014, but only 9.69 per cent under the present government, Chief Minister takes a dig at Congress: We haven’t increased collector rates, only improved transparency,Move targets black money while providing relief to the poor, says Chief Minister
Face2News/Chandigarh
Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini, while making a significant announcement in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here on Wednesday, said that stamp duty on the registration of residential plots up to 50 square yards in urban areas and up to 100 square yards in rural areas under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana, and Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana will be completely abolished.
The Chief Minister was responding to the calling attention motion moved by the opposition regarding the increase in collector rates, during the monsoon session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
Refuting the opposition’s allegations, the Chief Minister said that they are unsuccessfully trying to mislead the public on this issue. Presenting the figures, he said that during the opposition’s rule from 2004-05 to 2014, the collector rate increased by an average of 25.11 percent, whereas under the present government from 2014 to 2025, the increase has been only 9.69 percent. He also emphasized that the government has not introduced any new tax on registration. The Chief Minister clarified that since 2008, stamp duty has been levied at 7 percent (including a 2 percent development fee) for men and 5 percent for women, and these rates remain unchanged to this day.
Taking a dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister said that the issue is not about increasing the collector rate, but about individuals who engage in land deals using black money to evade stamp duty. He urged the opposition to stand up for the poor and the underprivileged, rather than supporting those who profit from illegitimate means. He further informed that the stamp duty on the purchase and sale of Gaushala land, which was reduced to 1 percent in 2019, has been completely waived off in 2025.
The Chief Minister said that the revision of collector rates is a routine and transparent process, conducted annually in accordance with prevailing market prices. He pointed out that collector rates were also increased regularly during the Congress government's tenure. Between 2004-05 and 2013-14, the rates saw annual increases ranging from 10 percent to 300 percent across all districts. For instance, in Faridabad, the rates rose by 300 percent in 2008 and 220 percent in 2011-12; in Karnal, by 220 percent in 2012-13; in Mahendragarh, by 100 percent in both 2010-11 and 2011-12; and in Jhajjar, by 109 percent in 2007-08.
He accused the opposition of lacking a central formula for determining collector rates during their time in government, alleging that amendments were made to favor builders and the land mafia. He said that, to benefit these groups, collector rates were deliberately kept low in areas where they owned land.
The Chief Minister informed that out of a total of 2,46,812 segments in the state, the collector rate has been increased by only 10 percent in 72.01 percent of them. This entire process is based on a data-driven and rational formula, under which the top 50 percent of property registries in each segment were analyzed. In areas where the registry value was 200 percent higher than the collector rate, the maximum increase applied was 50 percent. Despite this adjustment, collector rates in most areas still remain significantly below actual market prices. This step aligns with the government's objective of promoting transparent transactions and good governance, while effectively curbing black money and enabling the public to conduct property transactions at real and fair prices.