The Odisha government has taken strong steps to enforce the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). They introduced wide-ranging reforms to boost transparency, coordination, and rules enforcement in the real estate industry.
These steps were discussed at a high-level meeting led by the Chief Secretary at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. One major change requires all planning and development authorities under the Housing and Urban Development Department to inform the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) immediately when they approve a project plan. A new digital system will be created soon to improve data sharing and eliminate delays caused by poor communication between departments.
The government also announced plans to upgrade ORERA to version 2.0, syncing its data with the Bhulekh land records and SUJOG portals. This move will automatically compare project approvals and cut down on duplicate information and false reports.
To strengthen enforcement further, the H&UD Department will now work with the Revenue & Disaster Management Department to recover penalties set by ORERA under the Odisha Public Demand Recovery Act. This will ensure better recovery of fines and dues.
For the first time, ORERA will get support from the BDA and BMC for enforcement efforts. A monthly schedule will be published to make sure action is taken regularly. Regular coordination meetings will be set up between ORERA, H&UD, and revenue officials. District Collectors and Tehsildars will submit reports about illegal real estate activities, making sure local issues are monitored and addressed.
The rules from RERA are now part of regular reviews during district meetings, so attention stays on enforcement of real estate laws.
To fill staffing gaps, ORERA will speed up hiring for key positions like Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary. It will also be allowed to recruit retired government officials through open ads to fill vacant posts.
Finally, monthly meetings will be held between ORERA and H&UD to address citizen complaints quickly. These changes mark a new focus on protecting homebuyers, making the market more transparent, and holding builders accountable.