The good word

At an event organised by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India recently, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel assured real estate developers that her state would set up a sector regulator but only future projects would come within its purview. Her commitment followed a recent decision by the Cabinet to approve amendments to the real estate regulatory Bill that paved the way for the setting up of real estate regulatory authorities across states. On hearing Patel's commitment to her home state, an executive with a real estate firm suggested that she try and convince the central government that the Bill, which seeks to bring both ongoing and future projects within the regulator's purview, should exclude ongoing projects from its ambit. The audience burst into laughter as he was heard saying, "Thoda sifarish kar dijiye Centre mein (please put in a good word for us with the Centre)."