One day workshop on the knowledge and information sharing about “The Real Estate (Regulations & Development) Act, 2016 and the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate (Regulations & Development) Rules, 2017 was organized here today jointly by the Department of Himachal Pradesh Town and Himachal Pradesh Country Planning and Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory authority.While inaugurating the workshop Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development, Housing ant town & country Planning) Manisha Nanda said the provisions of the Real Estate (Regulations & Development) Rules, 2017 aims at curbing the menace of unscrupulous mischievous selling of plots and flats in the State.She said that Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority has emphasized that investors and buyers must contact Town and Country Planning or Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority before entering into any sale-purchase agreement with builders to sell apartments or flats or plots in a planning area in the State after getting their plans sanctioned from Urban Local Bodies or Town and Country Planning Department. Exemption from registration was only for development of less than 500 m2 of land into plots or for constructing eight flats/apartments.Government of Himachal Pradesh has designated Director Town and Country Planning as Designated officer of Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority for registering builders estate agents for controlling and regulating real estate sector in the state.Director Town and Country Planning Sandeep Kumar said that Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority has set up a web portal www.hprera.in for various online services and is first authority to do so in the country.