On Saturday, the secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs, Durga Shanker Mishra, told the media that Assam had become the first state in India to adopt the Model Tenancy Act. In June, the Ministry, chaired by PM Narendra Modi had approved the Model Tenancy Act for all states and Union Territories (UTs) as a way of enacting new legislation or amending the existing rental laws. Mishra tweets that with the new Act, the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act 1972, gets replaced. The new Act will ensure the growth and development of a transparent and accountable rental market, balancing the interests of the tenants and landlords. It will provide an ecosystem for the quick resolution of disputes. It will help to unlock vacant houses for rental housing purposes. It will fulfil the private participation in rental housing to check the huge shortage of housing. According to the Census 2011, over one crore houses were vacant in urban areas in India. The existing laws of rent control are preventing the growth of rental housing and discouraging the owners from renting out their houses because of the fear of not getting them back. Rentals are preferred for the different sections of society, including migrants, laborers, students, and young workers. For speedy redressal of disputes, the Act will establish a separate Rent Court and Rent Tribunal in all states and UTs for matters related to rental housing. The Act can promote the rental housing supply pipeline by attracting more investors and rental housing stocks, which will help students, workers, and migrants to find urban accommodation. It will promote growth and investment in rental housing. It will also promote entrepreneurship and innovation for the sharing of spaces. The Act will attract more investments and entrepreneurship in rental housing, thus boosting the growth in real estate, cement and steel industry and the overall economy. Image Source Also read: Assam govt introduces Assam Tenancy Bill 2021 Also read: Model Tenancy Law opens up for NRI real estate investors