Chandigarh, Sept 11: Punjab government today decided to re-fix the price of evacuee land in rural areas at the time of regularisation of unauthorised occupation at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. The price to be paid would be 15 per cent and 10 per cent of the market value fixed by the collector of the district under section 47-a of the Indian Stamp Act as on April 1 2003 for general category and the scheduled castes scheduled tribes and backward classes respectively, according to an official release here.

The payment would be made in four equated six monthly installments and the last date for the submission of applications in this regard had also been extended till December 31, 2003.

The council of ministers also approved convening the 5th session of the Vidhan Sabha on 24th and 25th of this month.

It also approved reducing the lumpsum tax by 33 per cent from the existing level and giving an option to cinema owners either to pay tax in lumpsum or to pay entertainment duty on the actual basis.

The meeting also decided to amend the Punjab Entertainment Tax (cinematograph show) Act 1954 through an ordinance and approved a scheme for one time voluntary disclosure and settlement of violations of municipal building bye-laws violations ordinance, 2003.
Bureau Report