5 key highlights of Maharashtra's proposed housing society rules: 12% interest cap, redevelopment loans and more
The Maharashtra government plans to introduce revised rules for cooperative housing societies, which aim to simplify regulations and reduce bureaucratic involvement. The Maharashtra government plans to introduce revised rules for cooperative housing societies, which aim to simplify regulations and reduce bureaucratic involvement. (Picture for representational purposes only)(Mehul R Thakkar/HT)
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the draft proposals include measures such as reducing interest on members' dues, enabling societies to raise redevelopment loans by linking them to land value, and revising maintenance fee structures.
Here are five key highlights from the draft rules for Cooperative Housing Societies: 1) Lower interest on dues
Maharashtra's draft rules propose reducing the interest on members' outstanding dues from 21% to 12%, easing residents' financial burden. 2) Easing redevelopment financing
According to the draft, co-operative housing societies may be allowed to raise loans up to 10 times the land cost for redevelopment, supporting self-redevelopment or improved negotiations with builders.
Also Read: Maharashtra approves new housing policy after nearly two decades: 5 key highlights 3) Modernising meeting protocols
The draft proposes that annual general meetings (AGM) may incorporate virtual participation, with a quorum set at two-thirds attendance or 20 members (whichever is lower). Decisions require a simple majority (51%), and virtual meetings must be video-recorded if they are for redevelopment. 4) Empowering heirs/nominees
The draft proposes introducing a new category called 'provisional members,' allowing nominees to exercise voting rights after a member's death, even before the ownership is formally transferred.
Also Read: Mumbai Real Estate: Developers waive floor-rise premiums to attract buyers amid surging inventory 5) Standardise charge collection and funds
According to the Maharashtra government's draft, common service charges will be equally divided among all flats, while water charges will be calculated based on the number of taps. The draft also mandates annual contributions to include a sinking fund of at least 0.25% and a repair and maintenance fund of 0.75% of the building's construction cost.
Also Read: Dharavi Redevelopment: Maharashtra govt approves stamp duty concessions for Special Purpose Vehicle
'We will finalise the rules by incorporating the suggestions and objections in eight days, after which the draft will go to the principal secretary of the cooperation department. Once the rules are vetted by the law and the judiciary department, they will be notified. Many clauses, such as charges of sinking repair funds, were in the bylaws, but by bringing them into the rules, we have given them legal sanctity. Once the rules are finalised, we will reframe the bylaws to simplify them," Kiran Sonawane, deputy registrar of Maharashtra, told the Hindustan Times newspaper.
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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
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How Indian democracy survived the Emergency
It was the summer of 1976. In Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, as dusk gave way to night, a gathering of people enjoyed a friendly chat at the bungalow of a prominent person in the town. Amidst the gathering, a frail man, his face partially obscured by a towel, arrived and prostrated at the host's feet. His body trembled like a dried, yellow leaf, his distress palpable. He was a washerman with a harrowing tale, from a village nearby. During the Emergency, the bureaucracy, hand in glove with the government, had turned alarmingly autocratic (HT Archive) Tears streaming down his face, he recounted how a minor altercation a few days ago had taken an unexpected turn. He believed the matter had been settled, but he had gravely underestimated the situation. The person with whom he had quarrelled had a relative who was a police sub-inspector. A few days later, a police team raided the washerman's home. The charge: 'Conspiring to uproot railway tracks with the aim of bringing about armed revolution.' He struggled even to pronounce these words, terms that were entirely alien to him just 48 hours ago. Fortunately, on the day of the purported incident, he visited a distant relative. Had he been home, he would have been apprehended and incarcerated for months under the infamous Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). Surprisingly, those present at the bungalow that evening were initially sceptical. They assumed he was talking through his hat, taking everyone for a ride to avoid a minor inconvenience. However, his story proved chillingly true. After intervention from the district authorities, the matter was resolved. Yet, his case was a more common occurrence than people believed. During those dark days of Emergency, approximately 35,000 individuals were detained under MISA, and over 75,000 under the equally notorious Defence of India Rules (DIR). Millions more were arrested under various other laws, ranging from as young as nine to over 90 years of age. The detainees spanned the entire political spectrum, with the exception of the Congress and the Communist Party of India. What drove the Indian system to such extremes? During the Emergency, the bureaucracy, hand in glove with the government, had turned alarmingly autocratic. Despite the draconian measures, the initial days of the Emergency paradoxically brought a sense of order that many people welcomed. Trains began running on time. Buses adhered to strict schedules. Crime rates plummeted. Government employees were punctual, and the insidious practice of bribes to expedite files seemed to vanish. Classes in schools were conducted regularly, and street hooliganism largely disappeared. Vinoba Bhave, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, even lauded the Emergency as anushasan parv (era of discipline). Middle-aged and elderly people often remarked that it felt as if the time of the British Bahadur had returned, an era where 'sher aur bakri ek hi ghat se paani peete the' (the lion and the goat drank water from the same place), implying a return to strict but fair governance. It might seem astonishing to read this in 2025, but many at the time indeed considered such actions necessary. This week marks 50 years since the beginning of the so-called anushasan parv, and the memories of those days continue to stir me. Apparently, Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency after the Allahabad High Court annulled her election. However, other darker forces were at play. In the 1971 general elections, she coined the slogan garibi hatao and fielded 442 Lok Sabha candidates, winning 352 seats. But she failed to eradicate garibi (poverty) and unemployment, and a disillusioned student community and labourers took to the streets to vent their frustration. A woman who was likened to Durga during the Bangladesh campaign was now seen as a failed ruler and the Emergency was the last gambit of a cornered Prime Minister. During this period, a campaign of nasbandi (forced sterilisation) was aggressively pursued, allegedly at the behest of her younger son, Sanjay Gandhi. It is widely alleged that this was an attempt to curb the growth of minority populations, with police reportedly raiding settlements of minorities and the vulnerable, forcing them into sterilisation. While isolated incidents may have occurred, I vividly recall family planning being promoted as a national campaign. Senior officials were given undeclared quotas, and they, in turn, pressured their subordinates, suggesting that those with three children should undergo sterilisation for their benefit. Tragedies such as the Turkman Gate demolitions unfolded in New Delhi. The government machinery, armed with bulldozers and a large police contingent, descended upon the Turkman Gate area in the name of beautification' When residents resisted, they were shot at, resulting in an undisclosed number of deaths and injuries. The government never released the exact figures, and the media, already muzzled, could not effectively report on it. During that time, many newspapers were forced to get pre-publication approval from the district administration for their content. Those were truly the dark days of the Indian Republic. Pupul Jayakar, Indira Gandhi's friend, later wrote in her book how even Indira was disturbed by these aberrations. She sought counsel from the philosopher J Krishnamurti, and it was only after this spiritual reflection that she decided to lift the Emergency and call for elections, according to Jayakar. The Congress lost the general elections in 1977, and the Janata Party won office. How Indira Gandhi later returned to power is another story, but 50 years on, while remembrance of those days brings regret, there is also immense pride that despite stumbling so badly, we Indians took the fall on our chin, brushed off the dirt and not only preserved our democracy but achieved new milestones of development over the following decades. We can all be proud of this enduring democratic and never-say-die spirit of our countrymen. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
5 key highlights of Maharashtra's proposed housing society rules: 12% interest cap, redevelopment loans and more
The Maharashtra government plans to introduce revised rules for cooperative housing societies, which aim to simplify regulations and reduce bureaucratic involvement. The Maharashtra government plans to introduce revised rules for cooperative housing societies, which aim to simplify regulations and reduce bureaucratic involvement. (Picture for representational purposes only)(Mehul R Thakkar/HT) According to a report by Hindustan Times, the draft proposals include measures such as reducing interest on members' dues, enabling societies to raise redevelopment loans by linking them to land value, and revising maintenance fee structures. Here are five key highlights from the draft rules for Cooperative Housing Societies: 1) Lower interest on dues Maharashtra's draft rules propose reducing the interest on members' outstanding dues from 21% to 12%, easing residents' financial burden. 2) Easing redevelopment financing According to the draft, co-operative housing societies may be allowed to raise loans up to 10 times the land cost for redevelopment, supporting self-redevelopment or improved negotiations with builders. Also Read: Maharashtra approves new housing policy after nearly two decades: 5 key highlights 3) Modernising meeting protocols The draft proposes that annual general meetings (AGM) may incorporate virtual participation, with a quorum set at two-thirds attendance or 20 members (whichever is lower). Decisions require a simple majority (51%), and virtual meetings must be video-recorded if they are for redevelopment. 4) Empowering heirs/nominees The draft proposes introducing a new category called 'provisional members,' allowing nominees to exercise voting rights after a member's death, even before the ownership is formally transferred. Also Read: Mumbai Real Estate: Developers waive floor-rise premiums to attract buyers amid surging inventory 5) Standardise charge collection and funds According to the Maharashtra government's draft, common service charges will be equally divided among all flats, while water charges will be calculated based on the number of taps. The draft also mandates annual contributions to include a sinking fund of at least 0.25% and a repair and maintenance fund of 0.75% of the building's construction cost. Also Read: Dharavi Redevelopment: Maharashtra govt approves stamp duty concessions for Special Purpose Vehicle 'We will finalise the rules by incorporating the suggestions and objections in eight days, after which the draft will go to the principal secretary of the cooperation department. Once the rules are vetted by the law and the judiciary department, they will be notified. Many clauses, such as charges of sinking repair funds, were in the bylaws, but by bringing them into the rules, we have given them legal sanctity. Once the rules are finalised, we will reframe the bylaws to simplify them," Kiran Sonawane, deputy registrar of Maharashtra, told the Hindustan Times newspaper.
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra plans to open up plots reserved for abattoirs
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has decided to open up plots reserved for slaughter houses in all municipal corporations of the state and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), except in Mumbai. It has offered private owners the option to use the land for a purpose of their choice if they build a slaughter house on part of the land. The owner will get to use the permissible floor space index (FSI) and transferable development rights (TDR) on the plot. Slaughter houses to be developed shall be used only for small animals (Ashok Dutta/Hindustan Times) These changes have been proposed by the state urban development department in the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR). The department has issued a notice seeking suggestions and objections from the public in the next 30 days. If the plan goes through, it would impact all major cities including those in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). According to the proposed new provision, the planning authority or the appropriate authority may acquire and develop the reserved site for the same purpose, or it may allow the owner to develop the reservation, subject to certain conditions. 'It (the owner) has to develop a slaughter house on 60% of the plot along with the necessary amenities and hand it over to the municipal corporation or the planning authority,' said a senior official from the state urban development department. 'Slaughter houses to be developed shall be used only for small animals. Considering public health and safety, and also existing use of the surrounding area, the planning authority shall take a decision regarding the development of the slaughter house through accommodation reservation,' states the notice issued by the urban development department on June 6. 'Sufficient segregating distance shall be kept between the slaughter house and the residential or commercial use, and a no-objection certificate (NoC) from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB) shall be obtained before allowing the development,' it adds. According to the notice, owners will be entitled to develop the remaining portion of the plot for the uses permissible in adjoining zones with full permissible FSI of the entire plot and permissible TDR potential of the entire plot. 'The authority, if required, shall allow the TDR for the unutilised FSI, if any (after deducting in-situ FSI), to be utilised as per TDR regulations,' it further stated. Aseem Gupta, additional chief secretary, urban development department, said the principle of 'accommodation reservation' is being made applicable to this provision. 'It allows development of a reserved plot without the need for acquisition, while the municipal corporation concerned gets a developed amenity free of cost. It also helps in expeditious development. The principle of accommodation reservation has already been applicable to many other reservations,' Gupta told HT. He added that the new provision would be implemented where the UDCPR is applicable in the state. The UDCPR was established to standardise construction rules and development regulations for various planning authorities and regional plan areas across the state. It, however, is not applicable in some areas such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), among others.
