Court fees, solar power duty to rise; State budget proposals effective from today

Thiruvananthapuram: The new tax guidelines that were announced in the Kerala State Budget will come into effect from Monday. Proposals to raise an additional Rs 1,067 crore had been announced in the budget. 

• The fees of cheque cases will increase from Rs 10 to anywhere between Rs 250 to Rs 3 lakh depending on the amount of the bounced cheque.
• The fee for filing property related cases in family courts will increase from Rs 50 to an amount between Rs 200 to Rs 2 lakh, depending on the value of the property in dispute.
• All India Tourist Permit buses registered in other States have to pay 10 percent of the quarterly tax for the first seven days when they enter Kerala. If the stay exceeds more than seven days, tax for each month will have to be paid. 
• The duty to be paid by those who generate and use their own electricity, including solar, will increase from 1.2 paise to 15 paise per unit. 
• The galvanage fee of Rs 10 per liter has been instituted for Indian-made foreign liquor. It will not affect the price of liquor, as per the notification.
• Stamp duty should be paid on leasehold agreement as per fair value.

Relief

• The minimum support price for rubber will increase from Rs 170 to Rs 180.
• The three-month registration fee for All India Tourist buses will be reduced by Rs 750 to Rs 1,000.
• The registration fee paid on the contract of sale shall be waived if the same parties involved in the contract of sale, register the sale deed within six months.