TV
In a renewed push to strengthen the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) in Odisha, the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has directed multiple government departments and agencies to submit detailed action taken reports (ATRs) on assigned tasks. The move follows a high-level review chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on June 17.
The departments and agencies concerned, including the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the General Administration Department, the Town Planning Division of H&UD, and the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA), have been asked to expedite their respective mandates and report progress to the H&UD Department. An imminent follow-up review by the Chief Secretary was reported by The Times of India.The Times of India.
Timelines Assigned For Digital Integration And Enforcement Measures
Among the key assignments, the Town Planning Division has been tasked with developing a digital tool for real-time sharing of project approval status with ORERA. The division has been given 60 days to complete the system to ensure timely coordination and eliminate information silos.
In parallel, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department has been directed to constitute a technical group to plan the integration of the ORERA 2.0 platform with the state’s Bhulekh portal, which maintains land records. The team will also facilitate ORERA’s access to the SUJOG portal to verify approved real estate projects and track compliance.
Additionally, the H&UD Department has been instructed to issue orders to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to deploy enforcement squads in collaboration with ORERA for implementing orders under the Orissa Public Demands Recovery (OPDR) Act, 1962. This will facilitate the recovery of penalties and ensure compliance with regulatory directives.
Institutional Reforms and Monthly Oversight in Place
These developments build upon earlier decisions made in July to overhaul Odisha’s real estate regulatory mechanism. The state had announced that all planning and development authorities must notify ORERA in real time on project plan approvals, backed by the development of a dedicated digital protocol.
A framework for monthly coordination between ORERA, the H&UD, and the Revenue Departments has been instituted. District Collectors and Tehsildars have been directed to report illegal real estate activities to ORERA regularly. Further, collector-level review meetings will now include RERA implementation as a standing agenda item to ensure sustained oversight at the district level.
Key vacancies within ORERA, including those of Joint Secretary (Administration) and Deputy Secretary (Enforcement), are also slated to be filled on priority. The regulatory body has been granted authority to recruit retired government officials through public advertisements to speed up capacity building.
