India, Oct. 1 -- Brajendra K Parashar

bkparashar@htlive.com

Lucknow: A small but significant policy change introduced two decades ago has steadily emerged as a big tool of socio-economic empowerment of women in Uttar Pradesh, where more than 55% of houses and other properties are bought and registered in favour of a female member of families to avail of the stamp duty discount, as per official data.

In 2006, the state government allowed a 1% rebate on stamp duty on a property valued up to Rs.10 lakh and a maximum benefit of Rs.10,000 if the property was purchased and registered in the name of a woman. The move has since encouraged lakhs of families to transfer property ownership to women.

"In more than 50% of the cases, families now p...