On Wednesday, the state government appointed a chairperson and two additional members to the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) to ensure the ongoing resolution of grievances for homebuyers. Asit Kumar Mohapatra has been designated as the chairman of ORERA, with Rajendra Mishra and Shyam Sundar Dash joining as the other two members.
Mohapatra, an alumnus of IIT Madras, previously served as a chief commissioner of income tax in Visakhapatnam and is a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer. The operations of ORERA, which include addressing homebuyers’ complaints and registering plots and projects, were hindered prior to these appointments.
ORERA typically operates with three senior members. The former chairperson, Siddhanta Das, resigned on February 28, just prior to the conclusion of his five-year term, and on May 2, Pradeep Biswal, the member responsible for administration, also retired. Following Das’s departure, Gopal Chandra Patnaik, the member in charge of judicial matters, was appointed as the acting chairperson but also retired on Friday.
With the resignation of all three senior members, ORERA had become inactive. Real estate activist Bimalendu Pradhan expressed optimism, stating, ‘It is encouraging to see that all three members of ORERA have been appointed shortly after the retirement of their predecessors. I trust that the authority will carry on the commendable work initiated by the former members.’ He emphasized the need for the new members to concentrate on the rigorous enforcement of sale agreements, the submission of quarterly progress reports, conducting forensic audits, and the execution of orders.
Additionally, he called for the establishment of an effective enforcement team, thorough scrutiny prior to project registration, improved coordination with planning and registration authorities, and a commitment to maintaining a corruption-free ORERA.