Track2Realty: In wake of stiff resistance from the states over the proposed regulator to safeguards the consumer interest against shady realty deals & delays, the Centre has reportedly decided to allow the states to set up their own grievance redressal mechanism.
The government plans to bring unorganised property agents and brokers under the ambit of the proposed real estate regulator, imposing stringent penalties including imprisonment on those who dupe buyers or operate without a valid registration.
The Real Estate Regulation and Development Bill, 2012, has been sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice for vetting, after which it will be moved to Cabinet.
The Union cabinet may introduce the final version of the much awaited Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. Earlier, the ministry had sought suggestions and recommendations from other ministries and government agencies on various provisions introduced in the Bill.
The Union Cabinet is expected to consider the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill within a fortnight. However, while the Government intends to present the Bill during the monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled to start from August 8, single window clearance to the projects is the only stumbling block in its way.
The Centre’s plan to regulate the real estate sector by safeguarding consumers from land sharks has hit a road block with several states opposing some provisions of a proposed bill. Track2Realty has learnt that in an effort to bring states on board, the Centre intends to drop the provision of giving direction to the States under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill.
Being blamed for being a haven for black money cartel, realty players broke their silence and instead tried to put the blame on the government for not introducing the desired reforms in the sector. However, they did not spell out if reforms are prerequisite to check the cartel of black money in the sector, why are they opposing the realty bill and a regulator.
The government has said “no specific instance” of flow of terror funds into the real estate sector has come to its notice. “As per the current assessment of revenue intelligence agencies…no specific instance of flow of terror funds into the real estate sector has been found,” Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. However, he said, “investigations by the Income Tax Department reveal unaccounted or undisclosed income or assets in various sectors of the economy, including real estate.”
Redefining Public purpose, as suggest by Parliamentary Committee, will impact infrastructure, industrial and township development severely.
Provisions of LA and R&R Bill should not apply to private acquisitions done by developers after direct negotiation with land owners/farmers. Privately negotiated prices, in almost all cases, are much higher than acquisition compensation suggested in the bill.
The much talked about and widely anticipated Real Estate Regulation and Development Bill may not get cleared in the current Budget Session of Parliament, since the government is getting cold in the wake of the Union Government running into opposition from the states on a host of issues, including the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre and Lokpal Bill.