The Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini here today, approved a series of welfare-oriented decisions covering affordable housing, employment opportunities for ex-Agniveers, compensation in cases of custodial deaths, healthcare staffing and compassionate appointments for families of battle casualties.Rs 500 stamp duty for EWS beneficiariesIn a significant concession to economically weaker sections (EWS), the Cabinet approved nominal stamp duty and registration charges on eligible dwelling units up to 60 sq mts registered under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0.Beneficiaries will now pay just Rs 500 as stamp duty and Rs 500 as registration fee on each eligible conveyance deed. The decision is aimed at reducing the transaction cost for EWS households and facilitating affordable home ownership under the ‘Housing for All’ initiative.At present, conveyance deeds in Haryana attract 5% stamp duty along with 2% additional duty, while registration fee is levied on a slab basis, subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000. A 2% rebate is available where the conveyance is executed in favour of a woman.20% reservation for ex-Agniveers expandedThe Cabinet approved extension of 20% horizontal reservation for Haryana-domiciled ex-Agniveers to direct recruitment for fire operator-cum-driver, wildlife guard and constable posts in the Indian Reserve Battalion and State Disaster Response Force.The reservation for forest guard, jail warder and mining guard posts has also been increased from 10% to 20%.The move is aimed at providing trained ex-Agniveers a smoother transition into government employment while strengthening the state’s fire, forest, security and disaster-response services.Rs 7.5 lakh relief for eligible custodial deathsThe Cabinet approved a policy to provide Rs 7.5 lakh compensation to the legal heirs or next of kin in cases of unnatural death in police custody.The compensation will cover deaths arising from quarrels among detainees, torture or beating by police personnel, suicide in custody or negligence by officials. It will be admissible only after negligence is established through a Magistrate-led inquiry under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. In cases involving torture or beating, at least 50% of the compensation will be recovered from the salary of the erring official.22 Senior Radiology Officer posts addedThe Cabinet amended the Haryana Health Department Para-Medical and Miscellaneous Posts (State Group-C) Service Rules, 1998, incorporating 22 Senior Radiology Officer posts, one for each district.The posts, carrying pay level FPL-6 (Rs 35,400–1,12,400), will primarily be filled through promotion from eligible Radiology Officers with at least five years of regular service. The designation of Radiographer has also been changed to Radiology Officer.Three battle-casualty dependents to get jobsThe Cabinet also relaxed the prescribed time limit for compassionate appointments in three cases involving children of martyred Armed Forces and CRPF personnel who were minors when their parents died.Harsh, son of Army Sepoy Sultan Singh of Karnal; Khushboo, daughter of CRPF Constable Pardip Kumar of Bhiwani; and Yogesh, son of CRPF Constable Sandeep Kumar of Bhiwani, will now be considered for Group-C appointments after attaining majority and completing their 10+2 education.
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