Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 10 (ANI): The Odisha state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, slashed stamp duty and registration fees for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) during its meeting on Tuesday.

Under the new provisions, these charges have been reduced to 0.6%-0.7% for housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme.

Addressing a press conference, Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg stated that these rates have been cut to one-tenth of their previous levels. She further noted that these measures will apply to all EWS housing units under PMAY-U 2.0, as well as to affordable housing initiatives developed under state government schemes.

'A very significant approval was granted by the Cabinet today. When the relevant ministry launched 'Version 2.0' of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, it stipulated a condition requiring states to introduce reforms, specifically, to reduce the stamp duty and registration fees payable by the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). Consequently, the Odisha Cabinet has approved a major decision: the stamp duty and registration fee, previously 7%, has been reduced to 0.7%, and the 6% rate has been lowered to 0.6%. In effect, these rates have been cut to one-tenth of their original levels. We anticipate that this measure will apply to all EWS housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, as well as to state government schemes, including affordable housing initiatives,' said Garg.

Additionally, the state cabinet approved several key infrastructure and development proposals. The government has granted a waiver of 13.07 lakh in land revenue and interest to facilitate the construction of a connecting road for NDRF land at Mundali, a move aimed at strengthening disaster mitigation and emergency preparedness.

To boost tourism and hospitality infrastructure, the cabinet approved the formation of a tourism land bank spanning 5,500 acres across major destinations, which include Puri, Konark, Chilika, Similipal, and Satkosia.

In the irrigation sector, approval was granted for the construction of a spillway under the Brutang Irrigation Project in Nayagarh at an expenditure of 994 crore, which is set to provide irrigation facilities to 23,300 hectares across 309 villages.

Furthermore, to strengthen water security and local livelihoods, a project worth 440.33 crore was sanctioned for an in-stream storage structure downstream of the Ayodhya Sagar Anicut, which includes the development of an 'Aarati Ghat' near the Ma Samaleswari Temple.

The cabinet also approved a 100.89 crore project to establish a 70 MLD (Million Litres per Day) Sewage Treatment Plant in Bhubaneswar to improve wastewater management and environmental sustainability.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that these public welfare decisions would serve the interests of the state's residents.

'To make the state's progress more dynamic and to strengthen the infrastructure, our government is continuously making efforts. In this context, the State Cabinet meeting has approved several important proposals related to Odisha's development. All these public welfare decisions will not only serve the interests of the state's residents but also further strengthen our resolve towards building a powerful, prosperous, and developed Odisha,' said CM Majhi. (ANI)