How migrant labour of our country get back to work?

As India enters 4.0 lockdown, the Narendra Modi led government is looking in every possible way to slowly resume economic activities. The Center has withdrawn its lockdown directive and only broad central guidelines and allowed states to follow their strategies for the gradual establishment of the economy. Therefore, the Modi government will have to come up with a big financial package, which will put money in the hands of the people so that they start spending on their essential needs.

To do this, workers must be assured that precautionary measures have been taken that require a strong message. In addition, the transport service is also required to return to the workplace with all health protocols, including facilities for daily commuting.

The migrant labor population is widely engaged in the transport, construction and MSME sectors. Getting them back to work is a challenge as we get out of lockdown but we have to assure them of their safety and health. Most people want to return home due to uncertainties combined with fear. The industry can play a major role at this time. State governments have started working towards restructuring the economy to allow for a regular job or assisted living which in turn will help them earn income and reduce savings after one month of lockdown.

The basic minimum living conditions will encourage them to return to work quickly. Authorities are working with skill occupations in the states, which map the skills of available laborers and accordingly ensure that they reach the nearest places where these skills are required in the industry.

Some economic activities, such as construction, may still require local labor from non-containment areas, and initially in small numbers. In rural areas, long-distance demand and supply chains of essential commodities are being opened through digital platforms by some state governments. But both central and state agricultural agencies will need to coordinate with district-level marketing boards to reroute supply chains to organized retail chains in cities and towns.

The government is required to play the role of a market proponent to improve economic duration. Manufacturing and construction companies have to get on track with better credit availability. Once manufacturing and manufacturing improve, more jobs will be possible. Better credit for companies will add liquidity to the economy.

RBI extends EMI moratorium - latest update

As India struggles to get back on its feet in the rest of the world, the Reserve Bank of India is exploring ways to make the life of the common man less stressful.

The first EMI moratorium was announced on 27 March 2020 and was to cover debt repayment between March 1 and May 31. As the COVID-19 pandemic still continues, it was clear that postponement expansion was needed. That is why today (22 May 2020), RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das extended the moratorium on loan repayment saying - “In view of the expansion and continued disruption of lockdown due to COVID-19, the decision to allow lending institutions has been taken. From June 1 to August 31, 2020, another three months to extend the moratorium on term loan installments.

How does an extended EMI moratorium help?

About 122 million people lost their jobs due to the outbreak of COVID-19. To add to this, self-employed individuals are struggling to make ends meet due to loss of income during the epidemic. If you are wondering, about 51% of India's workforce is self-employed! This means that a large part of India's working population is now finding it difficult to manage its expenses and pay back its debts.

The additional 3-month extension would provide some much-needed relief to these individuals. They will now be able to take out their loans such as car loans, home loans etc. If they miss an EMI payment then they run the risk of negatively affecting their credit score.

Now that the loan is deferred for 3 months, and money is not deducted from their bank accounts, most people will have little money to watch them until things start appearing.

Important points to keep in mind about EMI moratorium

Although the RBI EMI moratorium is good news for many people, what should you know here-

· The EMI moratorium is not a mandate, it is a competent provision. Banks have the right to decide whether they want to follow it or not. Individual banks will also be allowed to decide whether this moratorium will be extended to all borrowers.

· If you have decided to avail the moratorium, the EMI will be extended with interest applicable to your outstanding principal amount during the unpaid time. This will increase your overall interest cost. If you have the money to manage your loan EMI, it is best to stick to the original repayment schedule, especially if you have a notable outstanding loan amount for a loan against a home loan or property.

· The moratorium prevents payments for principal and / or interest components; Bullet repayment; Equal Monthly Installments (EMIs) and credit card dues.

Repo rate reduction

Apart from announcing the moratorium, RBI also announced a drastic reduction of 40 basis points in the repo rate to 4%. The reverse repo rate has also been reduced by 40 basis points to 3.35%.

Repo rate is the interest rate that RBI charges for the funds to be given to banks. This drastic reduction in repo rates will also reduce the lending rates to banks. Lower lending rates will give people hope to think about reinvesting. It is also said that EMI will come down on home, auto, personal and term loan rates in the near future.

Increasing interest from house-buyers as families stay at house

Although the residential real estate sector was expecting zero sales from the first quarter of the new fiscal year, the lockdown has surprisingly brought people closer to the desire to buy a house.

The current epidemic has had an unprecedented impact on the residential real estate market. With families spending more time in the home, organized real estate players have seen increasing interest among buyers. Potential buyers also include NRIs, who are demanding digital presentations from developers in metro cities. Weak rupee depreciation and low interest rates are also factors contributing to the decision.

With work-from-house being the new normal, even existing buyers are changing their existing bookings as they look for larger apartments. While the numbers are still not comparable to March quarter sales, large developers say there is latent demand but for this to translate into sales, the job market and economy will have to respond better.

Many developers feel that there will be not only a recovery, but also a rebound in residential. The decision to favor decision-making has accelerated due to houses being closed for two months. Noteworthy recovery may take 6-12 months as real estate is a highly suppressed category, but expect first-time house buyers and mid-segment buyers to take advantage given the experience in the last two months will be encouraged.

According to research, demand was seen in the top two cities in India in the last two years, with unsold inventory levels falling 7% in 2018 and 4% in 2019.

In the first 40 days of the lockdown, the Maharashtra government has reportedly seen the sale of only 3,806 properties, which earned the state a nominal amount in registration fees. Typically, the state government earns Rs 25,000 crore per year from the real estate sector. While many state governments have allowed online registration, developers say they expect not only a return but a demand for rebound.

As far as demand is concerned, there are some very interesting patterns. Developers and real estate companies are questioning people who have never visited the site and are responding to digital advertisements. It can be said that consumers are realizing the importance of owning a house. People have started research and are ready for minimal transactions. A strong demand revival is expected once the lockdown is lifted, provided people have a fixed job.

Although the outlook is more promising for the residential sector than retail and commercial, a visual recovery is at least two years away. Developers believe that the digital sales trend will also grow in the coming years as innovative sales and marketing solutions are being worked on and drone shoots and virtual tours are becoming more and more common.

Trends those are likely to shape the real estate market in 2020

2019 was a relatively challenging year for Indian real estate, which faced a slowdown in the sector. Nevertheless, the recession made Indian developers aware of where they stand and the drawbacks are to blame. As a result, industry experts expected, in 2020, to adapt to several changes in terms of preference, demographics, technology and policies, in a bid to boost buyer sentiment and promote affordable housing sales.

Even with the slowdown in the sector, sales showed some signs of improvement in Q3 and Q4 of FY19, due to redemptions made by developers in their product offering, based on an understanding of consumer demand. New age developments are more suitable for millennial, which are actually the target group of many affordable housing developers,” says Dinesh Doshi, Managing Committee Member, CREDAI MCHI, Raigad.

Top Realty Trends in 2020

Real estate to operate the end user

The market is becoming increasingly end user driven. “While the number of real estate investors is already small, this segment is shrinking further. In the coming year, it seems that almost all of the demand will come from end users, with the supply of products targeted primarily to them, says Mayur Shah, Managing Director, Marathon Realty.

Demand to increase compact housing, co-working and commercial space

The demand for 'compact housing' is likely to increase a great deal across the country. In different regions, homes whose price is right have the potential to elicit good feedback from consumers. Developers will address this challenge, going further,” says Shah. The healthy demand for co-working spaces seen in 2019 is likely to continue until 2020. The growth of the commercial real estate segment, which is attracting foreign investments, will also help in improving the economy.

Heavy Dependence Technology

New-age customers rely heavily on technology and social media as they enter the housing market. Thus, it will become imperative for developers to adopt and leverage technology, to engage with customers, to enhance the experience at every point of view and to create positive perceptions about the field. Adoption of technology will also increase efficiency, quality and transparency, which will lead to change in the sector, ” he explains.

Challenges facing real estate in 2020

The industry is seeking support from the government, to overcome some challenges and to emerge from the recession. While the government has taken several steps so far, continuous reforms are necessary in many key areas.

·     Industry status and single-window clearances

·     Funding from banks

·     Financial bailout

·     GST burden and input tax credits

·     High stamp duty charges

·     Home loan interest rates