‘Notify real estate draft rules by month-end’

Failure to do so will affect registration of properties: Minister

Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday urged the Tamil Nadu government to notify the draft rules framed under the Real Estate Act by the end of this month, warning that failure to do so would hit registration of properties.

Addressing mediapersons along with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami after taking part in a review meeting at the Secretariat on Sunday, Mr. Naidu said he had been informed that the draft rules of the Act had been prepared by the State government, which was in the process of notifying them before the end of this month.

Regulatory authority

“I am happy about it. I explained to them [State government officials] that they have to appoint regulatory authorities and appellate tribunals, and they are going to do it. They assured me. Otherwise, there is going to be a problem. If there are no regulatory authorities and appellate tribunals, registration will not be accepted. If there is no registration, no project can come [into being],” Mr. Naidu explained.

Central funds released

The Union Minister also released central funds to the tune of ₹1,083 crore to the Tamil Nadu government for the implementation of schemes including the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (₹360 crore) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana — Housing for All (₹663 crore).

As for the State’s request for relaxation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines for resettlement, Mr. Naidu said he too felt it was very much required. “You cannot ask people to go away from [the] city and have houses at a distance. They have to take care to see that houses are not built on riverbeds.”

Batting for devolution of more powers to local bodies, Mr. Naidu pointed out that some local bodies had powers to approve tenders up to a certain limit. He requested the Chief Minister to examine the feasibility of increasing the power of local bodies to approve tenders for special purpose schemes.

Though Velankanni was one of the towns covered under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and funds have been released for the same, there were some problems in acquisition since lands belonged to churches. Addressing this issue, he said, “I have advised officials to talk with church authorities,” adding that if things don’t work out, the scheme would be shifted to some other place.

Mr. Naidu also urged the Chief Minister to convene a meeting with cement manufacturers to work out ways to provide cement for affordable housing at a reasonable rate.