PANAJI
In a major decision, the State government has decided to amend the Goa Regularization of Unauthorized Construction Act, 2016 to facilitate the regularization of illegal constructions up to 1,000 square meters in urban areas and 600 square meters in panchayat areas.
While presenting the Budget for 2025-26, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also proposed a policy to grant land ownership rights to Goans who lack legal land titles.
“The Goa Regularization of Unauthorized Construction Act, 2016 will be amended to regularize constructions up to 1,000 sq mts in urban areas and 600 sq mts in Panchayats. There will also be a policy to provide land ownership rights to those who are farmers who have been cultivating the land for farming but do not have ownership rights to the land,” he stated.
The Budget has allocated Rs 136.41 crore to the Revenue Department for implementing these measures.
The announcement incidentally follows a High Court directive in a suo motu Public Interest Litigation directing the concerned authorities to clamp down on illegal constructions across the State.
Earlier during the discussion, Sawant assured the House that authorities have already taken initial steps in compliance with the high court’s directive while urging the law-abiding citizens not to panic.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao had also raised apprehensions citing the memorandum by the Directorate of Panchayats to various panchayat secretaries across the State. On March 19, the Directorate of Panchayats issued orders to all panchayats to identify and act against unauthorized constructions.
In its detailed order dated March 6, the High Court categorized illegal constructions and mandated action against illegal constructions along roadsides or major roads in municipal areas and panchayat areas; illegal constructions in municipalities and panchayat areas used for commercial purposes and illegal constructions in paddy fields.
On the long-pending issue of creating a third district for Goa, the CM announced that the process would be completed this year.
In another decision, the government has decided to introduce an e-office facility across both the Collectorate Offices in order to fast-track the file movement as well as check its status.
