Ahead of civic polls, Haryana withdraws development charge revision

Citing the linkage of building plan fees with collector rates, the Opposition had alleged that the move would increase the charges by 10 times. On its part, the government had defended the decision but soon a feeling grew that the Opposition may make it a poll issue. After the government rolled back the February 18 order, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted that “the decision has been taken under the compulsion of civic body polls”.

Earlier, while referring to the latest order on development charges, Surjewala had claimed that the “fee for approval of a map of 100 square yard house will stand between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.” Seeking immediate withdrawal of the decision, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda had said that the BJP-JJP government has imposed the charges for the buildings in the Lal Dora area too. “Earlier, the developmental charge for a 100 square yard plot used to stand at Rs 12,000 but now it will stand in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh,” he had alleged.

The government had justified the decision stating the linkage of collector rates would ensure that the people pay charges in proportion to the prices of their properties. A government spokesperson had stated: “Earlier, equivalent development charges were charged for a property costing Rs 50 crore or Rs 50 lakh, which certainly was not a fair deal for the property owners. Hence, the development charges have been amended to eliminate this discrimination. The revenue that the government would get through development charges would be spent on the development of the same area so that the local residents could get improved basic facilities.”