Has the UP Cabinet Really Approved a 1% Stamp Duty Exemption for Women on Properties Up to Rs 1 Crore?

Lucknow, July 22 (NationPress) In a significant Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhawan, the Uttar Pradesh government greenlit several crucial initiatives designed to enhance women empowerment, digital access for youth, infrastructure, and education.

The session approved a total of 37 proposals and declared the start of the Vidhan Sabha’s Monsoon Session on August 11.

Among the pivotal decisions was the broadened stamp duty exemption for women purchasing property. Previously applicable only to properties priced at Rs 10 lakh, this exemption is now expanded to properties worth up to Rs 1 crore, providing a 1% reduction in stamp duty. This change could result in savings of up to Rs 1 lakh on property registrations in women’s names.

State Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar emphasized that this initiative targets middle-class women, empowering them to become property owners, thereby enhancing their confidence, financial autonomy, and societal respect.

This policy aligns with the Mission Shakti initiative and resonates with the Union Government’s recent proposal to lower stamp duty on property transactions favoring women.

To further digital skills among the youth, the Cabinet approved the distribution of feature-rich tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Sashaktikaran Yojana.

These tablets, which surpass smartphones in screen size, battery longevity, and multitasking capabilities, are intended to facilitate education, skill enhancement, and job readiness.

The five-year initiative has a budget of Rs 2,000 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26, fully funded by the state government without imposing any financial burden on the Centre.

The government also sanctioned the development of the Chitrakoot Link Expressway, a substantial Rs 939.67 crore infrastructure project to be executed under the EPC model.

This 15.172-kilometre expressway, initially designed as a four-lane route, will connect Bharatkoop in Chitrakoot to Ahmadganj village, linking the Varanasi-Banda National Highway and NH 135 BG.

It is anticipated that this expressway will enhance regional connectivity and promote tourism in Chitrakoot by providing faster, smoother travel for both pilgrims and visitors. The project includes a five-year maintenance period post-construction and is expected to create around 38 lakh man-days of employment.

To ensure that technical education meets industry standards, the Cabinet approved a Rs 6,935.86 crore project in collaboration with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) to upgrade 121 government polytechnic institutes. TTL will invest Rs 6,034.20 crore, while the state government will contribute Rs 1,063.96 crore plus an additional Rs 858.11 crore for infrastructure and facilities.

This initiative will establish Tata Technology Excellence Centres to improve diploma-level education and skill training. The first phase will focus on upgrading 45 polytechnic institutes as a pilot project.

The Cabinet announced that the Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will commence on August 11. This session will adhere to constitutional mandates requiring a maximum six-month interval between sessions.

The government aims to introduce bills to replace ordinances issued after the last session and conduct other essential legislative business.