Hyderabad: Citizens will soon have to shell out more to register their land as the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to hike the registration charges from its present four per cent. However, the new charge has not been finalised yet.
In an attempt to mobilise resource, the AP government is also planning to hike the stamp duty on gift deeds and settlement deeds, which is at one per cent each now. Even the levy of tax on the conversion of agricultural land to commercial one will be hiked.
Sources said that finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu held a meeting with the senior officials of revenue earning department where it was decided that the AP government can increase registration charges.
The government’s policy is to collect from the rich and help the poor. Land transactions are done mostly by the rich as the value of land has gone up tremendously after the announcement of the capital city. The increased registration charges will not affect the middle class and the poor sections. This was what the officials and the ministers discussed, sources said.
The minister also wanted to hike taxes on liquor and beer without allowing to affect the consumers.
However, the officials told him that it may not be possible as the tax hike would ultimately pass on to the consumers.
The minister also proposed to offer one-time settlement scheme to collect pending Rs 1,000 crore taxes from various sectors. Another month will be given to the traders of Hudhud-hit three districts to pay their commercial tax.
“The overall revenue collection of all departments in July, August and September is 88 per cent against a target of 100 per cent. The minister asked officials to improve the performance,” sources said.
