Budget 2017: Tax incentive for the development of capital of Andhra Pradesh

As per section 96 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2014, the specified compensation received by the landowner in lieu of acquisition of land is exempt from income tax. The Land Pooling Scheme is an alternative form of arrangement made by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for formation of new capital city of Amaravati to avoid land-acquisition disputes and lessen the financial burden associated with payment of compensation under that Act. In Land pooling scheme, the compensation in the form of reconstituted plot or land is provided to landowners. However, the existing provisions of the Act do not provide for exemption from tax on transfer of land under the land pooling scheme as well as on transfer of Land Pooling Ownership Certificates (LPOCs) or reconstituted plot or land.

With a view to provide relief to an individual or Hindu undivided family who was the owner of such land as on 2^nd June, 2014, and has transferred such land under the land pooling scheme notified under the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014, it is proposed to insert a new clause (37A) in section 10 to provide that in respect of said persons, capital gains arising from following transfer shall not be chargeable to tax under the Act:

• Transfer of capital asset being land or building or both, under land pooling scheme.
• Sale of LPOCs by the said persons received in lieu of land transferred under the scheme.
• Sale of reconstituted plot or land by said persons within two years from the end of the financial year in which the possession of such plot or land was handed over to the said persons.

This amendment will take effect retrospectively, from 1^st April, 2015 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2015-16 and subsequent years.

It is also proposed to make amendment in section 49 so as to provide that where reconstituted plot or land, received under land pooling scheme is transferred after the expiry of two years from the end of the financial year in which the possession of such plot or land was handed over to the said assessee, the cost of acquisition of such plot or land shall be deemed to be its stamp duty value on the last day of the second financial year after the end of financial year in which the possession of such asset was handed over to the assessee.

This amendment will take effect from 1^st April, 2018 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2018-19 and subsequent years.

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