CoRWA Updates - June 2020

On RERA Act

A Zoom conference was held on Sunday, 31st May, 2020 from 11 am to 12h30 pm

On the subject of: Provisions in respect of Advertisement, Marketing and Promotions U/ S 12 of   RERA and its applicable Rules.

Program Moderator – CA Vinay Thyagaraj, Bengaluru. 

Speakers:

1. CA. Ramesh Prabhu Mumbai -  Opening Remarks on Importance of Promotion and Advertisement under RERA. 

2. Adv. E Suhail Ahmed, Bengaluru - Requirement of Sec 12 and types of promotions etc. 

3. CA. Pulkit Mehta, Indore, MP -  Circular / Guidelines on advertisement by Various State Authorities.

4. CA. Animesh, Indore, MP - Various types notices of issued U/s. 12 by RERA authorities. 

5.CA. Sunil Naik, Mumbai -  Important / must know decisions U/s. 12. 

6.CA Geetika Jha, Mumbai -  Promoter and Industry Perspective U/s. 12. 

7. Adv.(CA) Nipun Singhvi, Ahemdabad - Insights of ASCI and Open House and Q & A. (https://bit.ly/RERA-INDIA-MahaSewa).

By CA. Ramesh Prabhu 9820106768 & CA.Amit Kumar Kedia 94140 46121

Domestic Workers

A WhatsApp group has been created to seek clarifications regarding employment of maids during the on lockdown from policy makers like MCGM and Govt. of Maharashtra. It concerns the livelihood of more than 3 lakhs maids and also relief to CHS members who are not able to do their daily activities due to ill-health, old age, and to work from home, etc..

Please follow this link to join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dw5fTc6t7M3FgVYlbVrAwC

Ca.Ramesh Prabhu, Chairman, MahaSewa, Cell: 9820106768 &
Rajeev Saxena, Chairman, Covid- 19 Tax Force, MahaSewa: 90046 81009.

Role of RWAs in City Planning and Management

A panel discussion was held some time back moderated by @Ashutosh Limaye
with inputs from Ar Vijay Garg @Ballepu Kalyan Chakravarthy, wherein questions were asked about how we can make the citizens participate in urban planning, projects, master plans and what are the challenges therein.

It is to be noted that for the Master Plan of Hyderabad, there was a large scale public participation in 2009, probably for the first time in city planning for large cities, involving  the focussed groups, NGOs, Civil society organisations, professional bodies/associations, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), the political groups, a cross section of Municipal Corporators, MLAs and MPs and the citizens at large. It set a new precedent, which is tried out almost a decade later in a large city in India, thereby consolidating the  process and methodologies of consultations, since there is commitment at all levels.

I raised the issue of the role of RWAs and now, in the worldwide pandemic context which is largely centered on urban agglomerations, it revealed to be pertinent. For the last few decades, RWAs have come to be a mainstay in urban/city/civic management. Though initially they were seen as a group of activists, protestors, litigants, today the local governments across the country have made them into partners in city management. There are innumerable RWAs across countries in cities (small and big) whose primary focus is to provide and maintain civic services at a localised level. In many cities RWAS have got into arrangements with the municipal bodies (or vice versa) and are performing numerous day to day civic activities.

In many fora, they are also called as the Fourth Tier of Governance (Centre, State, Local, Grassroot/Ground Zero). In a few years we will commemorate three decades of the decentralised governance (namely 73rd and 74th CAA). In these years the socio, economic and political situation has undergone a sea change and globalisation is a reality, impacting governance systems at the three levels. At the lowest level many cities have already some structures in the form of ward committees, area sabhas, ward sabhas, etc. Their efficiency and effectiveness is a matter for another discussion. This should be seen as a positive step towards overall improvement of urban management and public participation. The RWAs have become part of the statutory mechanisms by integrating into these systems, in a logical and agreeable manner. Understandably these are not easy relationships with the government or even within residential associations and in  inter-association relations. How this will be structured needs to be worked out over a period of time and surely keeping in view the new urban factors like density of population, diversity and inclusiveness of the populations and their habitat typologies. The structure would probably need to be a flexible network with broad guiding statutory framework, where the role of RWAs comes out clearly as of strategic importance. It has to be particularly so in times of pandemic management for delivery of basic and essential services, maintaining efficient health safety and welfare of the citizens, etc, in close coordination with municipal and other government agencies. The RWAs are needed to ensure successful policy implementation and direct intervening measures to enforce basic rules and guidelines in times of emergencies. They can help in ground coordination, communication and in providing feedback into government systems.

This requires a re-look at city management and in emergency management at the grass root level to be efficient and to leverage the human capital and resources in our urban society. The need of the hour is citizens’ participation and their sharing of societal responsibilities for a better and healthy urban life.

Maheep Singh Thapar, MD & Principal Consultant, Hyderabad.

Email: maheepthapar@yahoo.com eb: www.consultadapt.com, Mobile: 09885016156

 AGNI's Thin Red Line in Mumbai

As the march of the Coronavirus became unstoppable, since March, first the life line of Mumbai, the Suburban Rail Network ferrying millions every day, was shut. As the lock down continues, calls for help began to emerge from those at the bottom of the social ladder. AGNI which stands for Action for good Governance and Networking in India maintains its presence in 16 of the 24 Wards of Mumbai. AGNI Coordinators and Volunteers have always been networking, which means first learning and then supporting efforts of all like-minded individuals and associations.

Rajkumar Sharma led the M East and West teams to give food packets in the slums of Shivaji Nagar and Govandi. Nutan Bhalla of L Ward led a drive to distribute face masks and shields sourced from Mahindra & Mahindra, Kandivali, to health workers in different hospitals. Willie Shirsat of R North connected providers of food and rations to the poor in Borivali and Dahisar.

Bulu Saldanha of G North in particularly Mahim and Theo DSouza of D Ward area of Girgaon informed us his community’s efforts. Anthony Dias of P South supported the efforts of Sr. Clera of Ankur in gifting masks to the poor in Goregaon. Zahida informed of her efforts in K West Ward and even her personal support to 20 families in the far eastern corner of Mumbai and beyond. James John of K East, Pamela Cheema of S Ward, and others have been doing similar works in their area. H West JAAG led by Shyama Kulkarni saw its volunteers join efforts initiated by churches, schools and associations. St. Peter's Church, St Andrew's Church and Apostolic Carmel School on Hill Road, Bandra provided food packets. Dr. Richard and team running 'Manna on Wheels' to provide food packets to those unable to reach distribution points. Fr. Frazer of St. Peter's shared of food, care and shelter available for 100 men and 25 women migrants. Prof Ernest Fernandes informed us of Cipla’s free PPEs (Personal Protection Equipments) to Government-run hospitals. Green Communities Foundation provided ration kits to over 2,000 families in Goregaon. Similarly, ‘Kindness Unlimited’ is giving away a banana each to atleast 5,000 kids of migrants, slum dwellers, etc. Every day. Salaam Bombay Trust is providing ration kits all over Mumbai. PRAJA provided ration kits to families across Mumbai through Councillors and Ward Officers. The Bombay Catholic Sabha even went beyond Mumbai into the vast Metro Region with cities like Navi Mumbai and Thane. The National Domestic Workers Movement is providing financial help and other things to domestic workers  all over India and doing so meant emptying its cash reserves of Rs. 50 lakhs.  St. Jude Childcare Centres are caring for Cancer patients from rural India and their families stuck in Mumbai. The Mumbai's knights are rushing in to provide succor to the suffering, wherever they are around Mumbai.          

By Austin Nazareth, AGNI

Home-Buyers in Tamil Nadu

Providing relief to thousands of homebuyers in Chennai, the Registration Department in Tamil Nadu has clarified that while registering an apartment, only the undivided share of the property will attract stamp duty and registration charges and not the built-up area. The move comes in the wake of some sub-registrar offices in TN demanding to register the built-up area along with the UDS of land. With 4 percent registration fees and 7 percent stamp duty, Tamil Nadu charges one of the highest registration fees and stamp duties among Indian states. It is important to register the construction agreement along with the sale deed of undivided share.

The inspector general of registration on May 11 issued an order that clarified that “If a document is presented for registration of (first) sale of undivided share of land only, the registering officers are hereby instructed not to demand or insist for inclusion of building in the subject matter of sale document for the sole reason that completion certificate has been issued by the competent authority to the project.” However, it is also instructed that there is no impediment to register separate construction agreement as envisaged in the circular dated Oct 28, 2013. The construction agreement is being registered under the provisions of the law with a stamp and registration fee of 2 percent on the agreement value, it had.

Suresh Krishn, the president-elect of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (Credai), told Moneycontrol that Tamil Nadu follows a dual agreement system as both land and buildings are registered separately with the concessionaire agreement. “It has now been clarified that even for the first sale of any apartment, the undivided share and the apartment can be registered separately.” “The buyer now gets to pay registration charges and stamp duty basis the undivided share and not the super built-up area. If the UDS is 500 sq ft, the buyer would have to pay registration fees basis that area and not 700 sq ft which is the super built-up area. Through this clarification the government has reinstated its earlier order,” said Iyarappan B, General Secretary - Uniworld Chennai Owners Association.

By  Vandana Ramnani @vandanaramnani1. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/real-estate/only-undivided-share-of-property-to-attract-stamp-duty-registration-charges-tamil-nadu-govt-clarifies-5257931.html

National Vanguard of Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha

The Samstha under the able stewardship of Col. Tejandra Pal Tyagi, awardee of Param Veer Chakra has undertaken to identity 100 national icons of impeccable service to the nation and who can bring to the notice of the President of the Republic any of their concern, which concerns the nation. Starting with Sri. Guru Pawan Sinha, as on 22nd   May 2020, the 83rd name to honour the list is that of Rear Admiral Ram Sagar, Former Flag Officer Commandant, Naval Aviation & Naval Military Secretary to the President of India. These national icons come from different backgrounds and the list carries names as and when they are empanelled.

Contact: Col. T.P. Tyagi  National Vanguard: 98159 93074

         The Chart indicates the guidelines for RWAs that are followed in Kolkata.

NGOs During Lock-down

1. Mynampalli Social Services Organisaton and its chairperson and MLA Sri. Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao have employed a sanitiser to spray in Neredmet, Bharatnagar and New Vidyanagar. Corporator Sril Jagdish Goud, Prem Kumar, Parasuram Reddy. Ravula Anjaiah also have participated in spraying the chemical.

2. BSR, an NGO at Habsiguda, Hyderabad got distributed good items to the needy on 26th May at the Ward office, Habsiguda, through MLA Sri.B.Subash Reddy.

3.  Shamirpet, T.S.- A biotech firm at Genom Valley, Turkapalli, Shamirpet near Secunderabad distributed rice and other items to 40 differently-abled persons on 26th May. Smt. Nara Vijaya and Sri. Rashid have worked hard to bring them together.

4. Rohini Employment Training Centre, under  Deveryamjala ward in Tumukunta Municipality, have distributed rice and other food items to 35 hut dweller families in the area on 26th.  The Centre’s Director Sri Ragland and their members took active part in distributing the items.

4. MPP Forum and other donors distributed breakfast, fruits, and butter milk bottles to 500 poor people during last 30 days at outer junction near shameerpet. The Forum’s President Sri. Chandrasekar Yadav, Vinod Kumar Jain, Praveen Jain, Pradyumna Yadav and others participated with dedication.

5. Nacharam, Hyderabad: Saigen Youth Organisation at Raghavendranagar, Nacharam, distributed rice and other food materials including oil and wheat to 240 poor people. The bags containing 11 grocery items were distributed by their members, Sr. Buchanna Goud, Kishan, Hari Prasad and Chandra Sekhar on 26th.

Dayanand Nagar RWA

The Residents of Dayanand Nagar under Malkajgiri Circle, Hyderabad prepared food and supplied for 34 days from 4th April to 7th May for migrants at LB Nagar, Kothapet and Koheda fruit market and also for Covid service persons at Malkajgiri. They have supplied 12,000 food packs for all. They have been supported by their colony residents and from other circles, where food was supplied. The team was led by Sri. B. Chnadrasekhar and members from Sai Vamaha Peetham.

By DVR Prasad & Govind

The Residents of Malaysian Township, KPHB Invites Visitors

It is a township consisting of 1,777 Flats. They have been organising food donation lunch camp for the last 19 days for their staff and will continue to do so until May 7’th. Everyday, food  is arranged for 150 persons who are working staff, including block level care takers, house keeping staff, water technicians, plumbing staff, electric technicians, drainage staff, gardening staff, main gate security, back gate security etc. Lunch is provided for all these people from 12.45 pm to 1:45 pm, while strictly following the social distancing norms. Visitors are invited as their presence would energise them.

By Vuppala Gopala Rao, President, Elderly Old (Eighty and above) Citizens Association of Greater Hyderabad. Cell : 9440053099.Land 040 - 23851517, 66881517

The Jawahar Nagar Housing Society, Moula Ali, Hyderabad, has been doing the sanitisation programme of the colony regularly till corona subsides. President Sri BVV. Satyanarayana and Secretary Sri Ch. Ramesh  are seen in the truck spraying in the street.

The Housing Society of Jawahar Nagar, Moulali, Hyd., has distributed 3,000 masks worth Rs. 30,000/-  to the residents of the colony and passersby around the colony during this month.

By K. Jagannadha Swamy

Voice of Gajuwaka, AP

The Voice of Gajuwaka (Federation of Gajuwaka RWAs) in association with a Charitable Trust - Rushi Seva Trust, has organised a Food Supply camp for the cause of the suffering Old Aged and helpless persons, including those out-of-state workers, who lost their daily earnings, on account of Corona lock out.  The camp was run from 05-04-2020 to 18-05-2020 continuously.  Food has been supplied to about 60-70 persons daily during this period, with the contributions from its members and outsiders.

By TV Nageswara Rao, Voice of Gajuwaka,  and Chikka Satyanarayana, Rushi Seva Trust 

On 5th June, on the initiative of Mrs. Malleeswari, General Secretary of the Tarnaka Senior Women Welfare Association, the World Environment Day programme is observed  in Mrs. Shnata’s house. Earlier, an essay competition on “Environment and COVID 19’ was conducted in which many senior women have participated. Dr. Adinarayana garu, an eminent scholar on the subject has adjudged the following ladies as winners for prizes: Messrs. M. Jyothi, T. Urmila, Anita Prasad, Sarada Mani, R.Nirmala, T. Sivakumari and Smt D Aruna.

Friends Welfare Association: on 20th May, has distributed food packets to the migrant workers and other needy persons in the Venkateswara clony in Serilingampalli disvision and near the Railway station as well as to the PHC staff of Lingampalli. On this occasion, the Convenor Sri. Thadibosyina Ramaswamy Yadav has advised them to stay at home as much as possible, and to maintain strict cleanliness. 

Those who participated in this programme are: S/Sri. Rammohan Rao, Kothaplli Koteswara Rao, Yeshwant, Sivramkrishna, and the members of COVID 19 Helping Desk.