Plea for single window nod for real estate projects

A committee under the housing ministry has recommended a technology-enabled single-window portal for streamlining the process of approvals for real estate projects that may help developers bring down home prices.

The committee on streamlining approval procedures for real estate projects, headed by former chairman of Competition Commission of India Dhanendra Kumar, has recommended setting up of a nodal agency that will act as a single-window and coordinate approvals from different authorities.

For affordable housing projects, it has recommended a fast-track process with a 60-day clearance window. This will help increase the supply of housing in affordable category, said the Union Housing Minister Ajay Maken.

In its report submitted last week, the committee said that the Ministry of Environment and Forests might relax the threshold for environment clearances for affordable housing projects from 20,000 sq metre to 50,000 sq metre and automatic clearance for such affordable housing projects that have obtained green certification under LEED of Griha environment rating systems.