Chandigarh, September 30 – Haryana has ushered in a new era for property registration by digitizing its processes, introducing standard templates for nearly 140 types of deeds, and cutting out middlemen. Despite these sweeping changes, stamp duty revenue is still climbing by about nine to ten percent each year, according to Haryana Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra.
Dr. Misra described the reforms as proof that a more streamlined, citizen-focused administration can go hand in hand with robust revenue growth. She advocated for a thorough rethinking of tax exemptions and incentives, arguing that concessions should align with clear policy goals, deliver tangible economic benefits, and ultimately boost tax revenues over time.
Addressing a one day national conference on ‘Strengthening Haryana’s Own Tax Revenue: Improving Tax Architecture and Analytics-Driven Tax Administration for Viksit Haryana@ 2047 today at Chandigarh, Dr. Misra spotlighted Haryana’s revamp of property registration, noting that the state has left behind the old days when citizens had to make repeated trips to tehsils and rely on stamp vendors, deed writers, lawyers, and other go-betweens. “We have simplified all these things,” she said.
Dr. Misra said templates had been developed for nearly 140 types of deeds that could be registered, while digital signatures, secure authentication and Aadhaar-linked processes had been incorporated into the system. “You can bypass any of these intermediaries if you want to,” she said. Now, citizens simply enter their details and submit them for review by revenue officials, who must examine and return the documents within a set timeframe.
**She stated that with over 6.5 lakh registries completed so far under the new paperless registration system since its launch.**
Dr. Misra added that new safeguards ensure files are not endlessly bounced back for corrections, as officials are limited to returning a deed no more than twice. “We have made the processes very streamlined and transparent,” she said.
Importantly, Dr. Misra noted that streamlining these procedures has not hurt government revenues. “Stamp duty in Haryana has been consistently growing, between 9 to 10 per cent every year,” she said.
Shifting focus to tax policy, Dr. Misra stated that we need to examine the entire business of exemptions, incentives and concessions without the historical baggage. We need to see what actually works, what does not work,” she said.
Dr. Misra said every concession should therefore be closely linked to a clearly identified public policy objective. She highlighted green manufacturing and the circular economy as key areas where governments can deploy incentives wisely, referencing Haryana’s new industrial policy that spans manufacturing, logistics, supply chains, and sustainability.
Dr. Misra emphasised that the financial impact of concessions should be a core part of revenue planning. “Our target in the medium term should be that it is tax-positive,” she said. “If it is a concession that works, it should give you more revenue in the medium term.”
She explained that while incentives might cause a short-term dip in revenue, if they succeed in drawing the intended investment, they should eventually pay off for the government.
Dr. Misra also underscored the importance of stability and predictability in taxation, noting that businesses rely on certainty to plan for the long term. “The more predictability and stability you have, the better business plans you will have. Constant tweaks are the worst thing that you can do in any tax regime,” she said.
When changes are needed, Dr. Misra suggested that governments should group them around the Budget rather than making frequent, quick-succession tweaks.
Drawing on her experience as a senior adviser to the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council during the period following the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, Dr. Misra said consultations with small businesses, large corporations, chartered accountants, tax advisory firms and other stakeholders had underlined two major concerns — complexity and constant change.
Course correction-based: She acknowledged that adjusting policies in response to feedback is important, but recommended bundling reforms rather than introducing them one after another. “Make five changes in one package, don’t make five changes in five weeks,” she suggested.
Dr. Misra argued that administrative reform should not just focus on efficient collection but also on tackling the costs and complexity citizens face when complying with rules.
She warned that simply digitising a process does not automatically make it user-friendly. She noted that even with digital systems, many tax forms remain so complex that small businesses and individuals must hire professionals just to comply and file them.
She said governments face the real challenge of viewing their systems through the eyes of everyday users. “It is a very big challenge for governments to think like a citizen,” Dr. Misra said.
She explained that Haryana’s property registration journey shows the way forward for administrative reforms: cutting out intermediaries, simplifying steps, boosting transparency, and ensuring timely services, all while safeguarding and growing state revenues.
