Also Infrastructure
Status for Real Estate Sector
Indian Real Estate
Bill to be introduced in next session of Parliament; Smart cities’ concept will
be taken to cabinet by November, 2014
With a view to
address the concerns of real estate sector, the Union Government is holding
discussions with various ministries on the need for single window clearance and
also about giving the infrastructure status to the real estate and housing
sector, Union Urban Development and Housing Minister, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu said
at an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) event
held in New Delhi today.
“I am already holding
discussions with the Finance Minister, I am trying to impress upon them that
housing should be priority sector lending for banks, the finance ministry is
positive, I have to still take it forward,” said Mr Naidu while inaugurating
the 7th Real Estate Summit organised by The ASSOCHAM.
“We do not want a tag
of infrastructure but a bag of support from banks that is the priority lending
for the housing sector, we need more resources because housing for all by 2022
is a big challenge unless government along with state governments, urban local
bodies and private institutions participate in a big way, we'll not be able to
reach this ambitious goal,” added Mr Naidu.
The Union Minister
further said that in the new scheme of housing for all there is going to be an
important thing of interest subvention for affordable housing.
“We have to see that
interest subvention is also provided to lower and middle income group so that
housing will become affordable to them, I am very clear about it, it is
coming,” said Mr Naidu.
With regard to
environment clearances which is one of the reason for long delays in projects,
the Union Minister said that once the urban development authority plan is
approved, there will not be the need for individuals to go for clearance for
each and every project.
“It is a good
suggestion, we will consider it positively and I will hold discussion with my
other colleague as well,” said Mr Naidu.
The Union Minister
also said that the Government will introduce the Real Estate (Development and
Regulation) Bill in the next session of Parliament that is as and when the
Parliament meets in November or / December, 2014
“We are proposing to
bring the bill in this next session, I already had discussions and
consultations with various stakeholders including consumer forums and also
various ministries have addressed and given their responses and we had one
round of discussion with real estate sector, I'll be holding the final round of
discussion with them and then preparing the bill and then taken it to
Parliament,” he said.
Smart cities' concept
has been discussed with various stakeholders and I have taken the views of the
state governments also, then I had interaction with members from private sector
who are interested in this. It is a time consuming process.
Talking about the
smart cities’ concept, the Union Minister said, “We are in the advanced stage
of finalisation of the concept and I hope to take it to the Cabinet by November
and then start identifying the cities in consultation with states from January
onwards then you have to first go and identify the city, then city municipal
body has to approve the reforms agenda that they are willing to participate in
the smart city concept and the state governments also must stand by them and
then we have to prepare a detailed project report and then move forward.”
He said that smart
cities cannot be constructed overnight. “There is a lot of enthusiasm and
demand, smart cities are flavour of the season but I am afraid people are
expecting things to happen overnight, the process is on and we are advanced
stage of finalisation of smart city concept.”
Conceding that Delhi
is heavily congested, the Union Minister said that the Government will conduct
a study on how to unclog Delhi. “I have appointed a high level committee with
my Secretary, Urban Development as the chairman to study the issue of
unclogging Delhi because Delhi is heavily congested.”
He further said that
apart from the Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, people from railways,
defence and national highway and Delhi government will sit together and they
have been asked to give a report within 45 days about ways and means of
unclogging Delhi.
On the issue of
hygiene and sanitation, Mr Naidu said that it should be made a part of school
curriculum.
Amid others who spoke
during the ASSOCHAM summit included:
Mr. Rajeev Talwar,
chairman, Urban Development Committee of ASSOCHAM;
Mr. Naveen M Raheja,
chairman, Real Estate Committee;
Mr. Rohit Raj Modi,
president, CREDAI NCR;
Mr. S.K. Jindal,
chairman, Investment & Investors’ Protection Committee
and Mr. D.S. Rawat,
secretary general.
No comments:
Post a Comment