update

SEBI issues guidelines for realty, infrastructure investment trust

     In order to enhance fresh investment in real estate and infrastructure sectors, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has cleared the new norms for setting up and listing of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).
     REITs are listed entities that mainly invest in income-producing real estate assets, the earnings of which are mostly distributed to their shareholders. The SEBI has stated that REITs will be allowed to invest only in commercial properties such as shopping malls, office buildings, apartments, warehouses and hotels, which provide regular income to investors from rentals received from such properties. The move is likely benefit investors who wish to invest in property for the lucrative gains it offers, but do not have sufficient capital to acquire physical real estate assets such as land or buildings. According to the SEBI guidelines, investors will have to put in a minimum of Rs 2 lakh to buy trust units, which can be traded on stock exchanges and investors can earn both dividends (from rental income of the property), as well as capital appreciation.
     In a bid to make REITs attractive, the capital market regular has halved the minimum asset size to Rs 500 crores from Rs 1,000 crore proposed earlier. SEBI noted that smaller players who don’t have enough rental assets to launch even Rs 500 crore REIT can float a combined REIT with multiple sponsors subject to maximum of three. Each sponsor should hold at least 5 percent of the units and overall at least 25 percent of the units.
     SEBI also cleared norms for Infrastructure investment Trusts (InvITs), which are similar to REITs, but focus on investments in infrastructure. The InvITs will invest in infrastructure projects, either directly or through a special purpose vehicle and approved minimum net worth of an InvIT sponsor is Rs100 crore. According to SEBI guidelines, a publicly offered InvIT will need to distribute at least 90 per cent of its net distributable cash flows to investors. Further, associates of the trustee have been restrained from investing in the InvITs units to avoid a conflict of interest.