DDA issues notices to banks for delay in refund

There is relief in sight for lakhs of unsuccessful applicants of the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) housing scheme 2014, who are waiting for the refund of the Rs 1 lakh registration amount.

There is relief in sight for lakhs of unsuccessful applicants of the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) housing scheme 2014, who are waiting for the refund of the Rs 1 lakh registration amount.

The DDA has given clear directions to banks to refund the deposit to all such applicants by December 31, failing which action will be initiated.

Hindustan Times had highlighted the problem in its December 27 edition.

The DDA had earlier said it had transferred the amount to respective banks and they were expected to credit the money in respective applicants' accounts by December 24. Most applicants, however, were yet to get their money back even on Monday.

Taking a serious note of the delay, DDA vice chairman Balvinder Kumar has issued show-cause notices to defaulting banks.

"It has come to DDA's notice that some banks are deliberately delaying the refund on one pretext or the other. The DDA had sent the money to the banks on December 19, 2014 with clear instructions to refund the money by December 24. Many applicants have not received the money as yet," said a DDA spokesperson.

"In case any applicant does not receive the refund, they are advised to approach the DDA so that strict action can be taken against the banks for defaulting payment," the spokesperson said.

"The banks are deliberately withholding payments to show higher deposits during the quarter closing," said SR Mittal, a Vasant Kunj resident who had applied for the scheme. "It is a wrong practice," he said.

The housing scheme had opened on September 1 and closed on October 15.

The Delhi Development Authority had received more than 10 lakh applications and the draw of lots took place on November 25.

The authority had promised that unsuccessful applicants would get back the deposit amount within a month.