Government leaves Karnataka RERA short-staffed

The Real Estate Regulatory Authority-Karnataka (RERA-K) has failed to protect homebuyers’ rights in the state since it became a reality in July 2017, but the government is to blame as it has been sitting on proposals pertaining to reforms for over a year. Statutory shortcomings and staff shortage are weighing down RERA-K. After assessing that it needed at least 100 employees in various positions, the authority had last November sent a proposal to fill 42 sanctioned vacancies, but the government is yet to respond to it. RERA-K has also requested creation of 53 new posts. At present, the authority is making do with only three permanent staffers — a first division assistant, section officer and controller of finance — while the other employees are outsourced.