It appears that the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) that allows landowners to sell development rights from their land to a developer or other interested party is closely linked to the implementation of the Regional Plan for Goa-2021 and the Goa Development Report of the Planning Commission .
In the Regional Plan for Goa-2021 maps, the entire plot area in existing settlement zones in villages is shown as settlement without the villagers requesting for such changes. This imply that the cultivable areas such as dry crop, garden and local water bodies shown as Class B land in settlement areas for the fields/plots shown in Form No.I & XIV can get notified as Uncultivable lands.
There are serious plans to convert Goa into a metropolitan settlement zone by completely destroying the villages for promoting so-called sustainable integrated development plans. The unsustainable settlement zones marked in the Regional Plan for Goa-2021 maps is a first step in that direction.
Chapter 6 of the Goa Development Report (that was published in the year 2011) is on infrastructure, transportation, logistics & integrated development. In section 2(page 115), it is stated that within the next 25 years, about 4 million (40 lakhs) new residents will come to Goa. Also, about 90% of those people (36 lakhs) will settle in Panjim, Margao and Vasco. This implies that there will be three cities (Panjim, Margao & Vasco) in Goa, each with a population of more than 10 lakhs new migrants!
Can the present geographical areas of Panjim, Margao and Vasco accommodate 36 lakhs new migrants? Or are the new migrants going to settle in Goa by destroying the neighbouring villages, mainly in Tiswadi, Bardez, Salcette & Mormugao Talukas.
Also, chapter 14 of the Goa Development report is on urbanisation & growth nuclei. As given in Table 14.5(page 237), the State Capital area includes Panjim and 49 villages from Tiswadi, Bardez and Bicholim Talukas. Does the State Capital area given in Table 14.5(page 237) show the geographical areas of the Panjim city-2035 ?
The sustainable land-use plans for the entire rural-urban State of Goa should be finalized soon. The existing population of Goa must be motivated and trained to work in various fields through skill improvement programmes within the next five years. All the necessary policy notifications and guidelines for different subject skills should be in place. Can this happen?
