Date:18/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/18/stories/2008091854370400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Government gets woman-friendly

M. Malleswara Rao

One per cent rebate in registration charges on anvil as a Dasara gift

HYDERABAD: The State government has decided in principle to give a one per cent rebate on the registration charges for properties if the lands or buildings are registered in favour of women.

Plans have been drawn up to implement the rebate with effect from Dasara (October 9) or Deepavali (October 28) as a festival gift. As a result of the reduction, the registration charges for women will be 8.5 per cent.

The government will, however, reimburse the loss suffered by the Stamps & Registration Department on account of the rebate.

Highly-placed sources said that the government had also decided to make it mandatory for sellers as well as buyers to affix their photographs on the documents to be registered. This measure is already being implemented in select sub-registrar offices as part of reforms in the department.

“The photographs will prevent double registration of the same property as is being seen in Hyderabad and other areas where land value has gone up. If a second person comes to register the same property, the department will necessarily get the clearance from the first person ,” the sources said. The government is also toying with the idea of reducing the registration charges collected on registration of General Power of Attorney agreements to a uniform rate of Rs. 50,000 as sought by the developers/builders.