Chandigarh, July 29 -- The Haryana council of ministers on Tuesday approved the Haryana Progressive MSME and Export Promotion Policy 2026 targeting over Rs.55,000 crore in investment, creation of over five lakh jobs and doubling state's exports over the next five years. The policy, a framework for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), covers key sectors including automobiles and auto components, electric vehicles, aerospace and defence, engineering, electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, footwear, renewable energy, circular economy, and agri-based and food processing industries. The government also notified the Haryana Agri-Business and Food Processing Policy, 2026. An official spokesperson said the government has dedicated 60 transformative initiatives to strengthen the ecosystem of over 14 lakh MSMEs as Haryana marks its 60th year. The spokesperson said that a new Haryana Udyam Vikas Mission will provide capital investment subsidies to MSMEs and exporters in identified thrust sectors across the state. The policy provides interest subsidy, stamp duty reimbursement, employment incentives, insurance assistance, and incentives for testing, automation, artificial intelligence and research and development. The spokesperson said the government will establish a state venture capital fund and a sectoral credit guarantee fund to improve access to institutional and collateral-free credit. The policy also expands the Cluster Plug and Play Scheme and MSE Common Facility Centre Scheme to provide shared industrial infrastructure, machinery, testing and design facilities. It also envisages a comprehensive export promotion framework including the Mukhya Mantri Pratham Niryatak Protsahan Yojana to support first-time exporters. The policy also proposes reverse buyer-seller meets, international roadshows, digital MSME pavilions and vendor development programmes to expand global market access. The council of ministers accorded in-principle approval to a new, simplified and transparent methodology for levy of property tax on buildings and lands within the limits of municipal corporations, councils and committees. An official spokesperson said the new methodology notified separately for municipal corporations under the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and for municipal councils and committees under the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, supersedes the property tax notifications of 2013 and introduces a uniform, formula-based system of assessment across all urban local bodies (ULBs). The spokesperson said the new system does away with discretionary and complex assessment procedures, replacing them with a clear, formula-driven method of calculating capital value - based on plot area or carpet area, the applicable collector rate, and a floor factor. Cities have been classified into four categories - A1 and A2 for municipal corporations, and B and C for municipal councils and committees - with floor and ceiling tax rates prescribed for each category. This will bring greater predictability and transparency for property owners, while allowing municipalities the flexibility to fix rates within the prescribed limits based on local needs. An approval was also given to the Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Rules, 2026, framed under the Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Act, 2025. These rules will operationalise the law and establish a comprehensive framework for recording, vesting and resolving ownership rights of properties situated within Abadi Deh (Lal Dora) areas across the state....