New government must revamp realty sector policies: NAREDCO
In response to the results of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, NAREDCO National President G Hari Babu stated that the real estate sector was at a crucial juncture, with significant growth potential yet facing considerable challenges. He emphasised the need for government support to achieve the goal of reaching a market size of $1 trillion by 2030 and transforming into a net-zero carbon industry by 2047. According to Babu, addressing the issue of rising home loan EMIs, implementing key policy reforms, and introducing sustainability incentives were imperative. He highlighted the importance of making affordable housing more accessible by adjusting financial limits and providing incentives for builders to ensure progress. Babu expressed the organisation's specific requests to the government, urging action to tackle the increasing home loan EMIs and interest rates. He pointed out the significant rise in interest rates from 6.25 percent before COVID-19 to around 8.75 percent presently, which has made monthly EMIs prohibitively expensive, particularly for middle-class families. Babu appealed to the government to alleviate this burden by offering lower interest rates for affordable housing loans. Moreover, Babu stressed the necessity of specific policy reforms to stimulate growth in the real estate sector, particularly in the affordable housing segment. He emphasised the expectation for the government to implement policy reforms and incentives to support the growth and sustainability of the real estate sector. These reforms, according to him, could include financial incentives for sustainable building practices and subsidies or tax breaks for developers focusing on affordable housing projects. Samir Jasuja, CEO and MD of real estate data firm PropEquity, highlighted the significant surge in real estate prices in recent years, almost doubling in the last four years. He pointed out that tax deductions offered on home loans haven't kept pace with these rising property values, effectively halving the benefit of these deductions. Jasuja emphasised the need for reforms to incentivize both buyers and investors to achieve the government's objective of a $1 trillion real estate industry. Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman of Signature Global (India), emphasised the crucial role of the infrastructure sector alongside real estate in achieving the goal of 'Vikshit Bharat'. He expressed confidence that the new government would continue focusing on infrastructure development beyond metro and large cities, as well as on the real estate sector, considering their multiplier effect on the economy. Aggarwal expressed hope that the new government would extend income tax benefits on home loans in the new income tax regulations and address challenges faced by these sectors, including easing the burden of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on both developers and consumers.