RERA: Centre seeks law ministry's opinion about West Bengal notifying its own Act

The Centre has sought the opinion of the Law Ministry over West Bengal notifying its own real estate law instead of implementing the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act enacted by Parliament.

West Bengal has notified its Housing and Industrial Regulation Act, 2017 (HIRA) on the same subject.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra via video conference today interacted with representatives of 29 states and union territories for expediting compliance of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), under which proper protection is provided to home-buyers.

Mishra said Kerala has agreed to notify the provisions of RERA Act and the state is currently in the process of issuing a notification about the same.

Except West Bengal and six states from northeast, all states have been implementing the provisions of RERA, the secretary said.

"In an interaction via video conference, West Bengal told us that it has notified its own Act. In view of this, we have referred the matter of West Bengal to the Law Ministry seeking its opinion over the same," Mishra said, adding under HIRA, West Bengal has put industries in real estate category.

Around 29,033 real estate projects have so far been registered under RERA Act while 22,568 real estate agents have been recorded under the law, he said, adding in all states where RERA have been notified, awareness campaigns have been undertaken.

"After Parliament's Monsoon session, the ministry will hold four regional workshops about RERA," Mishra said.

Last week, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had said that full compliance of transformational legislation like RERA would bring positive changes in the sector which would be good for all stakeholders.

According to the ministry, 21 states have set up online portal to address real estate issues under the Act.