NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has notified the draft rules for the regularisation of houses constructed on government land and has invited public objections or suggestions within 15 days from the date of publication of the notification. The notification, published on September 12, states that all feedback must be sent to the Secretary (Revenue), Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, before the expiry of the deadline so that it can be considered while finalising the rules.
According to the draft, the land granted under the scheme must be used solely for residential purposes and not for any other activity. The beneficiary will not be allowed to sell, transfer, or assign the land or any part of it for a period of 20 years from the date of grant, except by way of a gift to an immediate family member. Any transfer after 20 years will be governed by the provisions of Section 37B.
The rules further state that any breach of the specified conditions will lead to the eviction of the beneficiary, with the Deputy Collector authorised to take possession of the land. In such cases, the occupancy price paid will be forfeited to the government. If any applicant is found to have submitted a false declaration or forged documents, the regularised land will be reverted to the government, and the applicant will be liable to punishment, including imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to
Rs 1 lakh.
An application fee of Rs 100 is to be paid by affixing a court fee stamp or a special adhesive stamp of the same value. Applicants must be residents of Goa for at least 15 years preceding February 28, 2014, to be eligible for regularisation.
This move is part of the government’s initiative to provide legal status to nearly one lakh homes constructed before 1972 and reflected in the 1972 survey plans, including structures on Alvara and Bhatkar lands. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had earlier stated that the government had issued circulars through the Revenue Department, the Panchayat Department, and the Directorate of Municipal Administration to facilitate the process.
The regularisation procedure will be carried out in three stages. First, a
Settlement Land Certificate will be issued by the Deputy Collector. This will be
followed by verification and certification of the structure as legal by the concerned panchayat or municipality. Finally, the Legal Home Certificate will be issued
to the house owner.
The process has been designed for completion within seven days.
