Real Estate Industry to be represented in the state : Deshmukh

Mumbai, Aug 1 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh accepted suggestions put forth by the real estate industry to form a Task Force to frame an umbrella Act to regulate the housing sector and urban development.

Addressing at''Advantage Maharashtra Convention, organised by The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India and Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), held here yesterday Mr Deshmukh said, I have understood the need for a new housing policy and feel that it is important the builders and developers be represented at the state level. I will ask our Chief Secretary Housing, Mr S S Kshatriya to look into this immediately.'' The other issue that has been dogging the real estate industry, the Urban land Ceiling and Regulation Act was also responded to by Mr Deshmukh.

He said a state cannot be eligible for funds from the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) funds unless it repealed the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) Act. I will talk to the opposition parties and definitely take necessary steps to repeal this at the next assembly session.'' The real estate industry represented by the Maharashtra Chambers of Housing Industry and Confederation of Real Estate and Developers of India organised a one day convention, Advantage Maharashtra, to impress upon the Govt. the issues dogging the industry and impeding development. Chief among them were equity and fairness of property taxes across the state and amendments to MOFA.

Speaking at the convention, Mr Lalit Kumar Jain, convener gave a detailed presentation on the issues faced by the state which act as impediments to development and growth. He emphasized on one act one authority to regulate the housing industry, common DC rules, one room tenements to arrest growth of slums from migrants, removal of the NA process and similar such processes.

The State is the largest contributor to the Growth Domestic Product(GDP) and will accommodate 60 to 70 per cent of the country's population in its 61 cities by the year 2020. There are three areas for growth agriculture, education and urban development.'' More UNI AR AD RS1540