Money generated through illegal means is laundered through various means including real estate and election campaigns in India, a report of the US State Department has said.
The market regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the real estate arm of the Sahara group of companies had no right to mobilise Rs.27,000 crore from 30 million investors through debentures without complying with the regulatory regime.
Indian real estate companies, which borrowed heavily during the peak of the economic cycle and rosy business forecast, are now caught in the vortex of piling debt post-slowdown. Most of the realtors who went on a land bank acquisition with borrowed money are struggling to repay even the interest and banks look reluctant to restructure the debt any more.
The Finance Ministry is building safeguards to ensure realty companies do not misuse the external commercial borrowing (ECB) window announced in the Budget by diverting the money.
Godrej Properties’ stock offering to raise up to $90 million received bids for 18 percent more than the shares on offer, boosting the outlook for a newly approved process that companies can tap to cut founder stakes.
By allowing external commercial borrowings (ECBs) in the low-cost housing segment, the supply of affordable housing projects will increase in the outskirts of Mumbai in areas such as Karjat, Boisar, Nalasopara, Virar, Dombivili etc. on the heels of increased liquidity for budget home projects.
It is a highly disappointing budget. The Finance Minister has miserably failed in highlighting the importance the role of Housing in economy, employment generation, apart from the very need of housing. The announcements on ECB for affordable housing is a minor respite but still meaningless.
“For the real estate and housing sector, this years’ budget has exceeded expectations given the pressure on fiscal situation. Most importantly, it has taken into account the crying need to focus on affordable housing sector by allowing ECB for low cost housing, road as well as construction. Withholding tax on ECBs for affordable housing has been reduced from 20% to 5% for 3 years and this move will help ease the liquidity in the sector.
The Union Budget 2012-13 has left the Indian real estate sector grope with the indecision yet again and everyone is wondering whether the Finance Minister’s offer is glass half full or half empty for them.
During the economic downturn of 2008, while the other neighbouring and glamorous property market of Bangalore and Hyderabad fell by 24-29 per cent, the Chennai market fell only 8.3 per cent. Limited supply of land and pent-up demand is how NHB’s Residex defines Chennai property market.