In an encouraging development for real estate sector, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman underscored that the government has been working on the proposal to liberalize foreign direct investment (FDI) norms in the construction sector and that the norms for easing FDI in construction development sector were underway.
Under existing rules, 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed through the automatic route in development of townships, housing and built-up infrastructure, however this is subject to stringent conditions. Further, according to reports, Ministry has already floated a draft cabinet note seeking relaxed norms for bring FDI in construction sector, which includes bringing down the minimum built-up area requirement for FDI in construction projects from 50,000 sq metres to 20,000 sq metres, reducing the minimum capital requirement for such projects from $10 million to $5 million.
NDA led government, which has recently liberalized FDI norms for the defence sector, by increasing the FDI cap from 26% to 49% and permitted 100% foreign investments through the automatic route in a number of areas in the railways, including high-speed trains, railway lines, passenger terminals and coaches manufacturing and maintenance facilities, however has completely ruled out the chances of clearing FDI in multi-brand retail trading (MBRT).
Sitharaman said her party, BJP, has clearly articulated its position on the MBRT and had won the elections on the basis of the manifesto. However, while the new government is against FDI in the sector, it has not yet initiated any move to null and void the policy of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail approved by the UPA government.
The UPA government had opened the multi-brand retail sector for foreign investment and allowed up to 51% FDI in the sector. The BJP had opposed the policy.
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