Congress accuses Haryana govt of diluting RERA

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala  accused Manohar Lal Khattar led-BJP government in Haryana of betraying the interests of small and medium home owners by allegedly diluting the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). “The BJP government has played into the hands of builders lobby by sacrificing the claims of ordinary home owners at the altar of political expediency,” said Mr. Surjewala in a statement here. Mr. Sujewala alleged that the BJP government has taken out 95% of the ongoing projects out of purview of the RERA, in spite of objections raised by NGOs and a large section of people. “Congress brought RERA for ensuring time-bound completion of projects, accountability of builder and a systematic reform where ordinary home owner could stand up to the might of the rich builders lobby, while the BJP government on the other hand has demolished the very edifice with a single stroke,” said Mr. Surjewala. Add to complicity The State government’s decision of equating the ‘Occupation Certificate’ with the ‘Completion Certificate’ in the Haryana RERA Rules would only add to complicity,” Mr. Sujewala said, pointing out that to equate the two is only to subserve the interests of the builders lobby at the cost of ordinary investor. The Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Mr. Khattar had on Tuesday approved the final Haryana Real Estate (Regulation and Development), Rules 2017. The draft Haryana (Regulation and Development), Rules, 2017 were notified vide Haryana government gazette notification on April 28, 2017, for inviting suggestions and objections from the public and others stakeholders. PTI adds: Mr. Surjewala also said that the government needs to explain the reason for “changing the definitions” of terms ‘external development works’ and ‘internal development works’ under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975. He said that the “double whammy” of the BJP government is in amending the definition of term ‘ongoing project’ to create “multiple loopholes for benefit of the rich and resourceful builders lobby”.