Govt to draft comprehensive Bill on regulator for real-estate sector

23 Sep 2011 Evaluate

To fill the regulatory gap in the real estate sector, the government is drafting a comprehensive bill, which will improve governance and transparency in the real estate sector. The number of reality scam, judgements by the CCI and controversies on land acquisition for projects across the country has raised concerns over the governance and transparency. Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja said ‘the legislation would emphasize self-disclosure, transparency, fair play and dispute resolution.’

The ministry was aiming to get cabinet approval before the winter session of Parliament.  Kumari Selja said, ‘there is an immense need to improve the regulatory environment, governance and transparency in the sector. The central legislation envisages a regulator at the central level and in states. Besides, there will be an appellate body. Protection of the interest of consumers will be of prime importance.’ However, the minister accepted that there is a need to improve regulatory and approval procedures. She said a task force headed by the ministry’s secretary was looking at the issues. ‘The task force will seek suggestions from states and members of the realty industry, the minister added.

Many established companies like Housing Development Finance Corporation and Tata Housing have made strong argument for the regulator in the sector, for transparency and a level playing field to safeguard the interests of consumers. The reality sector’s image had suffered because of the recent housing loan scams. Selja said ‘the players in the sector need to come together and take action for overhauling the image of the sector.’ On the issue of land acquisition challenges, she said the recent unfortunate events in some states had put the sector in a bad light.  

‘Land acquisition challenges need to be overcome for the growth of the real estate sector. I am sure the new central land acquisition Bill presented in Parliament would be passed after taking all the concerns on board. The thrust on making the land owner a partner in urbanization and adequately compensating all the persons dependent on land being acquired would give a humane face to the acquisition and would make development more inclusive, hassle-free and sustainable,’ Selja said.

On the issue of low-cost housing, the minister advocated a certain percentage of land in all housing developments need to be reserved for poorer sections. ‘We are working with the states to see that the reservation does not affect the bottom line of the sector,’ she said. On the impact of RBI’s continuous interest rate hike on the sector, the minister said she had already taken up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.

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