In a major boost to timber trade in the state, the Punjab Government has decided to abolish the Rural Development Fee (RDF) being levied on the purchase of wood from the Wood Market (Lakkar Mandi) Yard in the state. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that file to this regard was cleared by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, who is also the Chairman of the Punjab State Rural Development Board, here this morning. The spokesperson further said that earlier Market fee and RDF at the rate of 1% each was levied on purchase of wood from within Wood Market (Lakkar Mandi) Yard in the state.
However, recently the Market fee was slashed by the state government on purchase of wood from within Wood Market (Lakkar Mandi) Yard. Likewise the state government has now decided to exempt the purchase of wood from within Wood Market (Lakkar Mandi) Yard from RDF also. But 1% RDF and Market fee would be levied on the wood purchased from outside the Wood Market (Lakkar Mandi) Yard.