Cabinet approves revised fair value of land

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved revised fair value of land for calculating registration and stamp duty in land transactions.



Briefing the media, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said that the fair value would be notified shortly. Citizens would get an opportunity to file complaints about the notified values. (Earlier notifications have not been given effect to because of large number of complaints).



The Cabinet also approved the abkari policy for the coming financial year. The bar licence fee for clubs would be increased from Rs. 8 lakh to Rs.15 lakh. No other major changes had been proposed over the current years policy. (Toddy shops will be auctioned to cooperatives in three northern districts and some ranges in Ernakulam district, an official spokesman said.)



Mr. Achuthanandan announced that Rs. 15 crore would be released to the Kerala Water Authority for drought relief. Besides, Rs.10 crore would be placed in the hands of Collectors.



Steps would be taken for acquisition of the remaining land needed for the proposed coach factory of the Railways at Palakkad. The full



extent of land sought by the Railways (426 acres) would be made available. About 30 acres would be acquired for the Coast Guard station in Kozhikode on a fast track basis. The Aralam government upper primary school in Kannur district will be upgraded.



The Cabinet also decided that the government could continue to issue possession certificates to families, who had been settled in different areas of Idukki district for years, if they faced no inquiries (over encroachment of government land, fabrication of documents and the like) by police, vigilance, Crime Branch of Police or the Revenue Department. The land should not be subject to any court proceedings.