Chapter IV THE STATE LEVEL DWELLING PLACE PROTECTION COMMITTEE

Constitution of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee.—The Government shall, by notification, constitute the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee for the purpose of this Act.

Composition of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee.—The State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee shall have the following members, namely:—

1. (i) Secretary, Department of Planning and Economic Affairs - Chairperson, Ex-officio;
2. (ii) Member Secretary, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority - Member, Ex-officio;
3. (iii) Additional Director, Agriculture Department - Member, Ex-officio;
4. (iv) A representative of the State Level Bankers Committee - Member, Ex-officio;
5. (v) A representative of the Kerala Bank - Member, Ex-officio;
6. (vi) An officer not below the rank of Deputy Secretary nominated by the Secretary to Finance (Resources) Department - Member, Ex-officio, who shall be the Member Secretary of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee.

Powers and functions of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee.—(1) The State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee shall within sixty working days from the date of receipt of the report of the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee, after affording an opportunity of being heard to the parties concerned, issue an order in writing by allowing or rejecting the application or by giving direction to the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee for reconsideration of the application.

1. (2) In the event of giving direction for the reconsideration of the application by the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee, action shall be taken thereon by the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee within thirty working days from the date of receipt of such direction.
2. (3) The State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee may, in addition to those provided under sub-section (1), take the following decisions, subject to the conditions as prescribed, namely:—
   • (i) to recover the dwelling place by discharging the liabilities of the financial institution and taking over by the Government the repayment amount, fully or partially;
   • (ii) to provide another dwelling place by including in any of the rehabilitation scheme or housing scheme of the Government;
   • (iii) when a complaint is received that no action has been taken as per clause
   • (i) of sub-section
3. (1) of section 9 or there is grievance on the action taken by the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee, to give directions within the time limit as prescribed regarding the necessary steps to be taken by the District Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee, after conducting an enquiry on the complaint;
   • (iv) such other decisions as may be prescribed.

Procedure relating to repayment.—

1. (1) In the event of taking over the repayment amount either fully or partially by the Government as per clause
   • (i) of sub-section
2. (3) of section 15 of the Act, it shall be the duty of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee to deposit such amount in the account of the financial institution through the District Collector concerned.
3. (2) In the event of finalizing the attachment or recovery proceedings by giving repayment amount to the financial institution, it shall be the duty of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee to take steps to get back all the documents including the title deed of the mortgaged property from the financial institution and to keep them under the temporary custody of the District Collector concerned.
4. (3) In the event of termination of the attachment or recovery proceedings completely, it shall be the duty of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee to return the title deed and allied documents of the mortgaged property to the owner, subject to the conditions, as prescribed.

Special provision regarding surety.—If the principal debtor is having the means for repayment but does not repay and there arises a situation of losing the single dwelling place of the surety on account of the surety conditions and if the Government takes over the repayment amount either fully or partially, the Government shall have the power to recover such amount together with interest and incidental expenses, as prescribed, from the principal debtor as arrears of public revenue due on land under the Kerala Revenue Recovery Act, 1968 (15 of 1968).

The headquarters of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee.—The headquarters of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee shall be at Thiruvananthapuram.

Officers and Staff.—The Government may depute officers and staff required for the functioning of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee in the manner as prescribed.

Meeting, quorum, proceedings etc.—The meeting, quorum, proceedings etc. of the State Level Dwelling Place Protection Committee shall be in the manner as prescribed.