RE Investment Trusts an eligible financial instrument under FEMA
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval to allow the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as an eligible financial instrument / structure under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999. The approval is expected to enable foreign investment inflows into the completed rent yielding real estate projects, which is, as of now, prohibited under the FEMA Regulations, reported a PIB release. The Finance Minister in his Budget 2014-15 Speech proposed the introduction of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), which have been successfully used as an instrument for pooling of investment by several countries for investments in the real estate, with a view to earning income and distributing earnings from its investments to investors, who have contributed to the pooled corpus. SEBI (REITs) have been issued vide SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014, however, on account of restriction under FEMA Regulations, actual investment has not occurred so far. As a result of this decision, entities registered and regulated under the SEBI (REITs) Regulations 2014 will be able to access foreign investments which as of now are prohibited under the FEMA Regulations. The intent of introducing the instrumentality of REITs is to reduce pressure on the banking system to which the real estate sector looks for funds, free up existing funds of Banks and to encourage construction activities. REITs while attracting long term finance from foreign and domestic sources including non-resident Indians (NRIs) would make available fresh equity to the sector.
May 7, 2015 | 3:21 pm IST.
to success.