AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

        Good intentions are seldom taken in good spirit. A case in point is the poor response to Samadhan scheme being implemented by the State Registration Department to dispose of pending property cases and to recover the dues from the registrants.

        Significantly, about 27,000 property documents are pending for registration in various Sub-Registrar offices across the State as on 22 March, 2007. Due to this, the government's revenue to the tune of Rs 400 crore was blocked sans realisation.

        It is common knowledge that buying and selling of property is registered at Sub-Registrar's offices. The Sub-Registrar clears the documents after ascertaining that the registrant has complied with the stipulated government guideline value of properties. On the other hand, the Sub-Registrar refers those cases where it has been undervalued to Special Deputy Collector (Stamps) for fixation of the market value of the properties.

        In turn, the Special Deputy Collector (Stamps) determines the market value of the property and fixes the Stamp Duty to be paid by the registrant.

        For the purpose of market value fixation, there are two District Revenue Officers (Stamps) located in Chennai and Coimbatore and nine Special Deputy Collector (Stamps) headquartered in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Vellore, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Trichi, Salem, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, and Virudhunagar.

        As an annual feature, the State government, through the Inspector General of Registration, has been implementing the Samadhan scheme with a view to recovering the dues. Under the special drive, the registrants are given a remission of 40 per cent in the fees so that they could get back their documents from the respective Sub-Registrar offices.

        This year too, the government is implementing the Samadhan scheme effective from 23 April, 2007 to 23 July, 2007.

        News Today spoke to Shanmugham, Deputy Inspector General, Registration, after he emerged out of the review meeting yesterday on Samadhan scheme.

        According to him, notices have been sent to the registrants concerned through the Special Deputy Collectors (Stamps) and Sub-Registrars.

        As of now, the department has recovered Rs 9 crore through this scheme and expressed hope things would improve by the deadline.

        Gopal, District Revenue Officer (Stamps), Chennai, said speedy action was being initiated to clear the backlog. The cases after review were being sent to the Sub-Registrars for further action. And it's for the registrants to make use of the scheme and get benefitted.

        For the benefit of the registrants, the department has included some more instruments under Sections 47A (11), (3), (5), (6), (10) and 19B (4) of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (Central Act II of 1899).

        Efforts to get the views of Muthusamy, Inspector General of Registration, proved futile. However, sources pointed out that IGR is straining every nerve to settle the cases amicably referred to him by Special Deputy Collectors (Stamps).

        A cross-section of the registrants was of the view that there is transparency in the working of Sub-Registrar offices following computerisation of majority of
SR offices.

        However, the department should find ways and means to give computer update on market value facilitating the Sub-Registrars to take a decision on the spot. This, the registrants feel, would go a long way in clearing documents at the Sub-Registrar-level.