Initiatives to Streamline Clearances for Real Estate Projects

New Delhi February 6, 2014:- Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has taken initiatives to streamline the process of seeking clearances for the real estate projects. A committee on Streamlining Approval Procedure for Real Estate Projects (SAPREP) was constituted by this Ministry which submitted its report with various recommendations for streamlining plan approval process of real estate projects. One of the recommendations of ensuring time bound approval has been included in the guidelines for ‘Affordable Housing in Partnership’ Scheme under ‘Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY)’. This was stated by Dr. (Ms.) Girija Vyas, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA), in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. 

The Minister further stated that though ‘Land’ and ‘Colonisation’ are State subjects, however Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has decided to assist the State Governments in introducing ‘single window clearance’ mechanism for housing projects. Following steps have been taken by this Ministry in this regard are as under: 

• Ministry has proposed some reforms for incorporation in the State Affordable Housing Policy of States like establishment of a Single Window Clearance Cell; Issuing simplified set of regulations and procedures for issue of permits; Development of an online / e-enabled and transparent single window approval system; Setting up a Nodal Agency for smooth implementation of the system; Setting up an Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary, to meet regularly to monitor progress in streamlining building approvals etc. 

• A National workshop was also organized by this Ministry with representatives of State Governments, institutions and consultants in December, 2013 to deliberate through interactive session on single window approval system.