Speaking at a seminar on `Housing Policy for the New Millenium', Jain said he had no control over the appointment of members to the select committee which drafted the new Rent Act.

``A further delay by even a single day in launching the scheme will be harmful for the city as it will widen the gap between the haves and have nots,'' Jain noted. His announcement comes in the wake of a five-member panel headed by the Chief Minister set up to review the scheme. However, the panel which has met thrice is yet to submit its report.

Jain strongly supported the housing industry's demand for abolition of the Urban Land Ceiling (and Regulation) Act (ULCRA) but admitted that political will was ``lacking.''

Otherspeakers at the seminar included noted builder Niranjan Hiranandani, Kiran Wadhwa, chief economist, HUDCO, New Delhi, Deepak Shetwalkar, Managing Director, HDFC, B R Bhattad, executive president, Property Owners' Association and Vilas Avachat, president, MHADA. The meet was presided over by former IMC president, Atul Bhagwati.

Bhattad urged the government to grant `industry' status to housing and construction activity enabling it to avail of loans by private sector banks. Hiranandani called for a decontrol of the housing sector from the ``plethora of legislations like, rent control, ULCRA, density control and Floor Space Index restrictions.''

In her speech, Wadhwa suggested that government should also concentrate on strengthening the urban infrastructure while carrying out housing programmes and stressed on the need for more rental housing.