RERA kicks in, officials vie for key posts

Two more IAS officers are likely to be inducted as members, along with a retired judge and a retired senior engineer. Sources confirmed that five serving bureaucrats nearing superannuation are among those being considered. These include Additional Chief Secretary (Public Health) Dr Vijay Satbir Singh (1984-batch), Principal Secretary (Textiles) Ujjwal Uke (1985), Labour Commissioner Yeshwant Kerure (1997 ), Konkan Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh (1995), and Agriculture Commissioner Vikas Deshmukh (1998).

Two retired former additional chief secretaries, Dr Prem Singh Meena (1981) and KP Bakshi (1982), are also in the race. The other contenders among retired bureaucrats include Tanaji Satre (1993), Pramod Nalawade (1996), Honaji Jawale (1998), and Shyamsunder Shinde (1991). A three-man selection panel will screen the applications from those interested, following which the government is expected to nominate people to the key posts. The process is expected to be completed within a week, sources said.

Complaints from flat buyers against unfair practices by real estate firms have been piling up in the state. At last count, about 37,000 such cases were pending in various consumer redressal forums. Mumbai, the country’s high-rise capital, alone has recorded 15,000 such cases. On Monday, Vasant Prabhu, a deputy municipal commissioner with the Mumbai municipality, took over as the Authority’s secretary on deputation basis.

Meanwhile, the first day of the implementation of the RERA in Maharashtra witnessed a noticeable decline in the placing of advertisement for sale of flats in the ongoing construction projects. Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act’s rules, a builder or a real estate agent will face action for misleading or false advertisements.

The rules have made registration of developers and agents mandatory before the sale of flats, the government has given a 90-day window for this. At the time of registrations, the builders will compulsorily have to make all disclosures regarding their projects.