Centre urges Tamil Nadu to appoint fulltime Chairman of Real Estate Regulation Authority

CHENNAI: The Centre has urged the State government to appoint a fulltime Chairman of Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulation Authority and has hit out at the Southern states’ dismal performance (excluding Karnataka) in registering projects with Real Estate Regulatory Authority. Speaking at a regional workshop, RERA – A New Era of Transparency and Accountability in Real Estate, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said the Southern states, excluding Karnataka, managed to register 2.54 per cent projects and 1.6 per cent of agents.

“There is a need to have a full-time Chairman with designated persons which could generate better results,” he said. He hailed Tamil Nadu for being the first State to nominate a Chairman for Real Estate Appellate Tribunal. He also hit out at tweaking of Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act by States while notifying RERA. He said States should ensure that rules are framed in letter and spirit of the Central Act.

The minister also hailed Tamil Nadu in implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. “A total of 5.8 lakh houses have been sanctioned under the scheme,” he said and added that the quality of PMAY is impressive. Later, speaking to reporters, the minister said he was not criticizing the State for failing to nominate a permanent chairman. “It is a new law and it will take time,” he said. On fewer registrations, he said the problem will be solved soon.

“On implementing new law, there are very minor variations. There have been instances where rules were tweaked on a few projects,” he said. Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, who also holds the portfolio of housing, said RERA workshop provided an opportunity for both the Central and State Governments along with the stakeholders to review and reflect on the working of the institution in the past 15 months and to consider corrective steps and improvements.

Urging the Union government to enhance its subsidy per dwelling unit under Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) to at least 50 per cent of the construction cost under AHP vertical, the Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam said the State was left with the task of constructing approximately five lakh houses by 2022, mainly under this vertical. “The Government of India subsidy is only Rs 1.5 lakh.  The beneficiary contribution covers only a portion of the cost.