Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde calls for empowering of real estate sector to deliver economical housing
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday called for empowering the real estate sector to ensure the delivery of economic housing. He was speaking at the installation of Manish Jain as the president of Credai Pune.
Shinde said during the Covid-19 pandemic, the real estate sector had stepped up in terms of work and delivery of government revenue. 'The stamp duty was reduced, but still the revenues were remarkably high,' he said.
Shinde said Mumbai developed rapidly during his tenure as the chief minister, and he said Pune requires similar growth.
The deputy chief minister said reforms like unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), stamp duty relief, and infrastructure upgrade can push Maharashtra towards becoming an investment magnet. Poor infrastructure, he said, maligns the image of a city.
Shinde promised that the concerns of Credai, the apex body of real estate developers, would be addressed in time. 'Our goal is simple: development, development, and more development—and Credai will be a key partner in that journey,' he said.
Main Manish, the new president of Credai-Pune, presented a series of key issues before the minister. He emphasised the need for greater interdepartmental integration to streamline the building sanction process, proposing that building permissions be processed concurrently with environmental clearance, so that construction can commence immediately once the EC is granted.
Highlighting the inefficiencies, he remarked that nearly 90 per cent of a developer's time is spent on obtaining sanctions, while only 10 per cent goes into actual construction.
He also urged a phased and results-driven approach to Town Planning Schemes (TPS), recommending that two pilot schemes be implemented and evaluated for effectiveness before scaling up, ensuring more structured and impactful outcomes. Addressing governance-related challenges, he highlighted the urgent need to protect developers from undue harassment by blackmailers, advocating for stronger collaboration with police and law enforcement agencies.
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