CHB flat on GPA? Six months to get it in your name, ₹20 crore interest relief for 14,000 families

Chandigarh. People who bought Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) flats through a general power of attorney (GPA), but could never get the property in their own names, will get one more chance. The board on Tuesday brought back its 2016 GPA transfer policy for six months.

At the same meeting, CHB cleared a one-time interest waiver of ₹20 crore on unpaid dues. Around 14,000 families living in its small flats and rental housing complexes stand to benefit. Poor families in its rental flats in Sectors 52 and 56 will also pay a lower licence fee, in line with small flat allottees.

None of this is final yet. The decisions will take effect only after UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria approves them, and will be subject to the conditions he sets.

GPA transfer: who qualifies

The 2016 policy returns with some changes, as a one-time exception for six months. Only GPAs signed before October 11, 2011 are eligible.

That date comes from the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Suraj Lamp & Industries case, which held that property sold through GPA or sale agreements does not pass legal ownership. Many owners missed the benefit when the policy first came in, and the board has reopened it at their request.

Who gets the interest waiver

The waiver covers licensees under the Small Flats Scheme-2006 and the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) scheme. Those whose licences were cancelled for non-payment are included.

There is one condition. Licensees must clear all dues pending as on October 31, 2026. They can pay in one go or in instalments, but must finish before October 31, 2027, or before their licence term ends, whichever comes first.

Allottees had raised this demand with the board many times over the years.

Lower fee for poor families in Sectors 52 and 56

CHB has allotted about 2,000 flats under the ARHC scheme to families shifted from pre-fabricated shelters in Sectors 52 and 56. ARHC is a part of the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.

These families were charged ₹3,000 a month. Small Flats Scheme-2006 allottees, by contrast, got their flats at ₹800 a month. ARHC residents had long asked for the same rate.

The board has agreed, but only for some groups. The Small Flats rate will apply to families with a gross annual income below ₹1.5 lakh from all sources, priority household card holders under the public distribution system, persons with disabilities, destitutes and widows.

Bigger Diwali gift for staff

The board also raised the ex-gratia and Diwali gift for its employees, a benefit paid since 1985. The amounts were not disclosed.

Who was at the meeting

The 435th meeting of the CHB board of directors was chaired by UT Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad, who is also CHB chairman.

Finance Secretary Diprava Lakra, CEO D Karthikeyan, Assistant Estate Officer Khushpreet Kaur, Chief Architect Rajiv Mehta and Chief Engineer CB Ojha attended. Non-official members Balbir Singh Dhol, Vinod Joshi and Shakti Prakash Devshali, CHB Secretary Sorabh Kumar Arora and CHB Chief Engineer Jasvinder Singh were also present.