Meghalaya Cabinet takes several key decisions; complete details here
The Meghalaya Cabinet today regularised the decision taken by the Government on February 16
- Feb 17, 2021,
- Updated Feb 17, 2021, 5:01 PM IST
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Cabinet today regularised the decision taken by the Government on February 16 to revise the tax rates for petrol and diesel in the state.
The State Government had on Tuesday announced a reduction of Rs. 5 for both petrol and diesel amid protests over the rising prices of fuel.
The reduction of Value-added tax (VAT) on petrol, which was earlier 30.62 percent, was reduced to 20 percent or Rs. 15 per litre.
Furthermore, the Cabinet also regularised the decision to impose 100 percent of the stamp duty on mining lease in line with a court order which states that mining leaseholders, irrespective of whether they are Schedule Caste or Schedule Tribe, should pay 100 percent of stamp duty.
“There was a court order that came up, that basically requires mining leaseholders to pay 100 percent for stamp duty against the 50 percent which was initially set. Earlier, there was an interpretation that mining lease falls under the Instrument of Conveyance (IoC) requiring SC and ST to pay only 50 percent of the stamp duty,” Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told media persons in Shillong.
However, the court maintained that the mining lease does not fall under the IoC.
The State Government has allowed the mining leaseholders to pay half of it immediately and the rest within 31st of March, 2021.
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Sangma said that with this decision, the government is expecting an additional revenue of Rs. 27 crore.
Furthermore, the State Cabinet also amended the Meghalaya Fiscal Responsibility Budget Management (MFRBM) Act 2006 to enable the State Government to take 5 percent of the overall GDP as debt from the Central Government.
The Meghalaya Cabinet also approved the appointment of 45 Junior Engineers in Grade I under 3F for the Public Health Engineering Department.
“The interview was done under 3F because there was an urgency to have additional manpower as there was a shortage for the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission,” the CM said.