Now a man in a hurry, Chautala announces a string of new sops

Finance Minister Sampat Singh announced a hike in the limit of loan from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for the marriage of daughter or sister, and from Rs 7,500 to Rs 20,000 for the marriage of a son. A second advance for this purpose will also be admissible, subject to the condition that the balance of the first advance and the amount sanctioned for the second marriage does not exceed the maximum admissible.

TheCabinet said that since allotment of plots in grain and vegetable markets by auction was “causing hardship” to licensees, now plots will be allotted at reserved rates.

The Cabinet also decided that with effect from January 1, 1996, family pension will be calculated at a uniform rate of 30 per cent of the basic pay in all cases instead of the old slab system. The benefit of increased rate of family pension — introduced with effect from January 1, 1996 — may also be extended to pre-1996 family pensioners from the same date.

For traders, the government approved a proposal to abolish certificates or declarations in sales tax forms. Traders will now submit a list of sales and purchases dealerwise and will give a list, signed by the appropriate assessing authority, to other traders.

Under a new “tax-simplification system,” tax details submitted by traders having an annual sale upto Rs 50 lakh would be “trusted” without their having to come to the Sales Tax office. This scheme will be implemented fromJanuary 1, 2000.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the education department to enable direct recruitment of teachers in schools which have been upgraded. In all, 137 schools have been upgraded, out of which 126 have been upgraded from high to senior secondary level.