Saturday, March 29, 2025
Chandigarh, May 5 – In a series of progressive decisions, the Haryana Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, approved several welfare and administrative reforms aimed at benefiting various sections of society including Gaushalas, Agniveers, and families of martyrs, while modernizing the functioning of municipalities and land policies.
In a pro-cattle welfare move, the Cabinet approved a complete waiver of stamp duty on the sale or gift of land for setting up new cowsheds. This decision follows a 2019 policy that had reduced the stamp duty from 5% to 1% for registered Gaushalas and related societies. The waiver, now total, applies under Articles 23(a) and 33 of Schedule 1-A of the Indian Stamp Act, with conditions that such land must not be used for commercial or individual benefit and must adhere to guidelines set by the Haryana Gau Sewa Aayog.
In a historic administrative reform, the Cabinet repealed the century-old Municipal Account Code of 1930 and approved the Haryana Municipal Account Code, 2025 (Part I and II). The new code mandates an Accrual-Based Double Entry Accounting System compatible with modern government accounting standards. It aims to enhance transparency, streamline budgeting, and strengthen financial reporting in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), thereby enabling them to access market funding for infrastructure projects.
The Cabinet extended the existing Rs. 1 crore ex-gratia benefit for defense personnel battle casualties to Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme. Additionally, gallantry or distinguished service award winners among Agniveers from Haryana will receive a one-time cash award. Since the scheme’s inception in 2022, 5,120 Agniveers have been recruited from Haryana, with 2,000 joining in FY 2024-25 alone.
Honoring the supreme sacrifice of Naik Sandeep, who lost his life in a 2019 Pulwama operation, the Cabinet approved the Gram Panchayat Atali’s proposal to gift a 200-square-yard plot to his widow, Smt. Geeta. This allotment was made under Rule 13A of the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Rules, 1964, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting martyrs’ families.
The Cabinet also revised the 2021 land market rate fixation policy to bring parity with the Central Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Now, instead of “double,” the compensation will be “four times” the collector rate for agricultural land, aligning state-level acquisition rates with central guidelines. The amendment also simplifies approval processes, transferring authority to the Chief Minister rather than a high-level land committee.
Earlier in the day, CM Nayab Singh Saini, speaking at a financial aid distribution event, extended heartfelt birthday wishes to Union Minister and former Haryana CM Manohar Lal. Describing him as a symbol of simplicity and public service, he praised Lal’s contribution to Haryana’s growth and governance.
