India's improved real estate transparency? Top Chicago firm's ranking based on land law Modi wants to scuttle

By A Representative
A top Chicago-based real top consultancy firm has praised the Narendra Modi government for improving India’s Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI) ranking to the 36th position this year from the 40th in 2014 on the basis of the “proactive measures” to increase transparency in the real estate sector through an Act, which it wants to scuttle.
The 36th position is for Tier 1 cities, with a population of 100,000 or more. It is 39th position for Tier 2 cities (with a population between 50,000 and 99,000), and 52nd for Tier 3 cities (with a population between 20,000 and 49,999. While for Tier 2 cities there is an improvement by three ranks, for Tier 3 cities, the ranking has gone down by two points (see chart).
In India, the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) report says, “Land records have started to be digitised and made available via an online database, while the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act has simplified procedures for acquiring land and determining fair compensation to sellers.”
Though passed by the last UPA government in 2013, ironically, the firm says, the law was enacted in 2014, but refuses to recall Modi efforts to scuttle it through repeated ordinances in 2014-15. The Act, as passed in 2013, has been under unprecedented criticism from the corporate sector and its supporters, who believe call it the main hurdle in “developing” industrial projects because of its clauses of consent and social impact assessment.

Worse, refusing to recall the year when the Act was passed, Anuj Puri, chairman and country head, JLL India, says, India “moved up by four ranks thanks, in large part, to the Modi government’s aim to stimulate growth and reduce red tape”, adding, this was aided by “improved market fundamentals” and “policy reforms like Land Acquisition Act.”
Titled “Global Real Estate Transparency Index, 2016: Taking Real Estate Transparency to the Next Level”, the report says, India remains in the “semi-transparent category”, adding, “The Anglosphere continues to dominate the ‘Highly Transparent’ group – the United Kingdom (1st), Australia (2nd), Canada (3rd) and the United States (4th) hold the top positions.”
Pointing out that top 10 ‘Highly Transparent’ countries account for 75% of global real estate investment, the report basis its analysis on factors such as high-quality accessible market data, fair transaction processes, strong corporate governance, stringent regulatory enforcement, clarity of property ownership, high ethical standards, green building regulations, and so on.
In all covering 109 countries worldwide, while the survey does mention the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 as a measure to help improve real estate transparency, it insists, India “should provide more buyer protection and an equitable platform to resolve disputes.”
The Real Estate Act 2016, it is well known, makes it mandatory for project developers to register with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). Based on Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Bill 2013, it obliges the builder to quote prices based on carpet and not super built-up area.
The report wants India to further improve its “regulatory reforms” essential for further progress, saying “Our survey reveals that among the ‘semi-transparent’ group (in which India is among the very top) there is a notable disconnect between the existence of regulations and actual enforcement – particularly in land use planning, contracts and building codes.”

Comments

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।

'A tribal lifeline': Health rights group asks Gujarat governor to halt Vyara govt hospital privatization

By A Representative In a strong appeal to the Governor of Gujarat, the National Health Rights Alliance (NHRA)—an initiative of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)—has urged the state to halt the ongoing move to privatize the Vyara Government Hospital and Medical College in Tapi district.

Old bias, new excuses: How western media misrepresents India’s anti-terror strikes

By Gajanan Khergamker The recent Indian military strikes on Pakistan, dubbed Operation Sindoor, have sparked a storm of international media coverage. Several prominent outlets have portrayed India as the aggressor in the escalating conflict, raising concerns over biased reporting. This commentary critiques coverage by foreign media outlets such as The New York Times , Reuters, BBC, and CNN, which have often been accused of framing India’s actions as escalatory while downplaying or omitting critical context regarding Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism. By examining historical patterns and current geopolitical dynamics, this analysis highlights the recurring selective framing, omission of evidence, and a tendency to favor narratives aligned with Western geopolitical interests over factual nuance.

Censor Board's bullying delays 'Phule': A blow to India's democratic spirit

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* A film based on the life and legacy of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule was expected to release today. Instead, its release has been pushed to the last week of April. The reason? Protests by self-proclaimed guardians of caste pride—certain Brahmin groups—and forced edits demanded by a thoroughly discredited Censor Board.

CASR urges immediate halt to Operation Kagaar, calls for peace talks with Maoists

By A Representative The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a collective of over 40 civil society organizations, has issued a press statement demanding an immediate end to "Operation Kagaar" and alleged state-led killings of Maoist rebels and indigenous people in central India. The group also called on the central government to create a conducive environment for initiating peace talks with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

जैविक जीवित संसाधनों व प्रकृति पर निर्भर मजदूरों की व्यापक आर्थिक सुरक्षा कैसे हो?

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* भारत में 60 करोड़ से अधिक लोग भूमि, जल, जंगल और समुद्र जैसे प्राकृतिक स्रोतों पर निर्भर हैं । देश में 14.6 करोड़ छोटे और सीमांत किसान, 14.4 करोड़ खेतिहर मजदूर ( बड़ी संख्या में दलित हैं), 27.5 करोड़ वन निवासी, 2.8 करोड़ मछुआरे, 1.3 करोड़ पशुपालक और 1.7 करोड़ कारीगर हैं जो सीधे तौर पर प्रकृति के साथ और प्रकृति के भरोसे काम कर रहे हैं । लगभग 6 करोड़ मौसमी मजदूर हैं जो काम के सिलसिले में लगातार अपने गांव से बाहर जाते हैं और लौटते हैं। प्रकृति निर्भर समुदायों की आर्थिक गतिविधियां जो बड़े पैमाने पर जीवन निर्वाह और छोटी आय के लिए है। वर्तमान आर्थिक नीतियों के कारण, जो कॉर्पोरेट्स और बड़े व्यवसायों का समर्थन करती है, प्रकृति निर्भर समुदाय के लिए अव्यवहारिक होती जा रही है।

Naveen Gautam creates history, becomes first Dalit youth to moderate session at UN

By A Representative In a historic moment for Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, Mr. Naveen Gautam of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) became the first Dalit youth to moderate a session at any United Nations forum.

Kashmiriyat lives: Beyond the prime-time lies

By Rimmi Vaghela I am Rimmi from Ahmedabad. I contemplated this blog on April 27, 2025 in Jammu, when my plans of revisiting the paradise called Kashmir were shattered—not by fear, but by circumstances and sorrow. I decided to share my story with a heavy heart, hoping it reaches those who still believe in the warmth of humanity over the divisive noise of prime-time media.

In the fury of war, humanity succumbs to the illusion of nationalism

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* On May 7, Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti—also known as Rabindra Jayanti or Poncheeshe Boishakh in Kolkata—we celebrated the birth anniversary of the renowned poet, writer, philosopher, reformer, and Nobel laureate. On this occasion, I draw attention to Tagore’s timeless quotes, which resonate profoundly today, perhaps more than ever, as we live in a time when the ruling government has pushed the nation toward war.

Choice of the word 'Sindoor' in India's anti-terror operation: Symbolic feminism or patriarchal strategy?

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* In the aftermath of a war and subsequent ceasefire in 2025, Operation Sindoor has emerged as a focal point of national discourse, not only for its military objectives but also for its symbolic framing. The operation, named after a traditional marker of Hindu marital identity, and the prominent roles of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force in its media briefings, have been widely celebrated as a step toward gender inclusivity.

Search This Blog