CREDAI moots single window system, green buildings, affordable housing

• Newly formed youth wing vows to work with governments for expediting real estate projects
• To impart skill development among construction workers Coffee Table Book unveiled

Hyderabad: The newly elected leadership of realtors apex body CREDAI, has decided to work on issues that delay realty projects and to create a healthy environment in the industry. It has embarked on a multi-pronged agenda to work closely with the various governments with focus on affordable housing, green buildings and water harvesting and skill development among construction workers.

To fill in the shortage of supplying housing to millions, affordable housing is a major concern that needs to be addressed by the government seriuously. "The task force report on affordable housing is already with the government and we will impress upon the concerned departments to facilitate its implementation for ensuring that the millions of homeless fulfill their dreams of owning a house," said Lalit Kumar Jan, newly elected chairman of CREDAI. CREDAI � Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India � with over 10,000 members across 20 cities has set up a new Youth Wing reflecting the increasing number of young and qualified entrepreneurs joining the profession.

Jain stressed that CREDAI has been campaigning for long for streamlining the approval processes across the country. "In fact the Centre should issue guidelines to States regarding online approvals and single window system," he said and pointed out that the States like Punjab which have implemented single window system are doing very well. This will help check corruption to a large extent and the money saved would definitely benefit the end buyer, he said.

Due to corruption it is the end buyer, who suffers as the developer normally sells off the property and makes profit from it. There are many instances, wherein, properties are developed without any clearances and sold off through huge advertising and marketing and the house owner suffers when the law takes its course.

Union Minister of Housing and Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken, who was the chief guest, also unveiled the first ever 'Coffee Table Book' on real estate. CREDAI's new managing committee also took charge in Maken's presence. Jain pointed out that CREDAI suggested changed in the Land Acquisition and the Real Estate Regulator Authority Bills to make them much more effective and beneficial for the home buyer and not one particular section. Referring to the delays in approvals from the Environment Ministry, Jain said "A lot needs to be done for speedy approvals so that projects do not get held up indefinitely.

C Shekar Reddy, newly elected national president of CREDAI, said the apex body will also campaign with the Finance Ministry and RBI for reducing the risk weightage given for funding the real estate projects. The current negative approach is helping neither the banks nor developers, he said.

CREDAI will focus on educating the fellow developer community on developing green buildings, using non-conventional energy sources and water conservation. Recycling of water for flushing and gardening purposes should automatically be part of all new projects, Reddy said.

The government which has been collecting 1 per cent as labour cess has now begun to use it for skill development and labour welfare. The Centre has made a good beginning and some states like Andhra Pradesh too are implementing it. "We hope other states will follow suit," he said.

The new office bearers of CREDAI are: Jaxay Shah, MD Savvy Group & VP CREDAI National; Satish Magar, Chairman & MD, Magarpatta Township Development & Construction Co. Ltd.; Sushil Mantri, Chairman & MD, Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd.; Sanjeev Srivastava, MD, Assotech Ltd.; Harsh Vardhan Patodia, MD Regent Hirise Pvt. Ltd; MD Unimark Group & Heritage Reality Group; Vijay Mirchandani, Hon. Secretary CREDAI National & MD Mirchandani Group; Shekhar G Patel, Hon. Treasurer, CREDAI National;

Youth wing members : Viny Raj Modi - Chief Coordinator; Dipesh Bhagtani - Addnl. chief coordinator; Mohit Goel - zonal coordinator (north) Kruti Kumar - zonal coordinator (west); Sarad Baid - zonal coordinator(east); Siddharth Menda - zonal coordinator(south); Deepak Agarwal - zonal coordinator(centre).