Homebuyers will have more power now: Hardeep Singh Puri

After promulgating the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2018, arming the homebuyers to have more say against builders who shortchange them, the Modi government is planning more measures to provide relief to those who invest their life’s savings in their dream flat.

“We want to build on the advantage that we have got in getting the homebuyers the status of creditors. And I want to assure you that at the highest level of the government, right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the finance ministry and my ministry, we are working towards that objective,” union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri told HT.

“The homebuyers will have more power now,” he said during his visit to the state capital on Sunday.

Puri, a career diplomat who was handpicked by Prime Minister Modi into his council of ministers and made Rajya Sabha from UP was in Lucknow for BJP’s ‘sampark for samarthan’ campaign.

“Several steps will be required to cement the advantage we have got with the amended Insolvency Code. The issue requires careful navigation because of the impediments placed in the path by the builders. The builders had an opportunity to provide relief but they haven’t done that and, in fact, they have been very slow. Now the time has come for insolvency procedures and other action to be pursued with greater vigour and in a different manner,” Puri said.

Puri is also working closely with the Yogi Adityanath government to provide relief to the buyers. “I am in touch with the chief minister, industry minister Satish Mahana and others and together we will find a way out to provide relief to buyers,” he said.

Puri will be back in UP in a couple of days to meet Adityanath and other officials to take up the issue of homebuyers and discuss among other things the status of various flagship schemes of Modi government – swacchta, ODF mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, smart cities and AMRUT.

ONLINE BUILDING PERMISSIONS

“Urban space of the country has been subjected to criminal neglect in the 67 years of our existence as an independent country. Our laws have not been user friendly. We have decided to make all building permissions online. They are already online in Delhi and Mumbai and gradually it will be the case elsewhere too,” Puri said.

He said, “But here also we have seen people being harassed for one time password. We have navigated through the maze and now there is more good news. Building permission would be online in all 500 Indian AMRUT cities.” PM Modi has set March 2019 as the deadline for all municipalities to begin granting of building construction permission online.

“The system would be such that once I have applied for permission online and the authorities don’t respond, the permission will automatically be deemed given,” Puri said.

WE REQUIRE URBAN LAND TITLE ACT

“I am only 8 to 9 months old in the government. But one thing that bothers me is that we do not have an urban land title act. Let’s say I have 6000 acres of land. But how do you know it’s mine? I paid money, got registry done? But then registry is merely proof of payment of stamp duty which isn’t evidence of title. And title can only be determined through the revenue record or by the courts. Influential people can get their work done but what about those less fortunate?”

CHANGING FACE OF BJP

Earlier, interacting with select group of people he said, “Prior to 2014, BJP was largely known as a party of traders and upper castes. Now, it’s also associated with Dalits and OBCs, the marginalised class with whom Modi government has connected in a big way.”

He said, “The country cannot grow without connecting with the marginalised.”

MISSION SWACHTA

“This mission, along with ODF, has brought about significant changes. It is a revolutionary reform conceived by the PM. The impact it has on the society is tremendous,” he said.

MODI’S MISSION 2019

“Oh, we are going to win hands down! Do we have anyone who can match up to PM Modi?”