Team Herald
PANJIM: Almost 8 percent of residential houses, flats and commercial spaces in Goa Housing Board will be reserved for the backward communities, in a bid to provide them with affordable houses. Government has also reserved 4 percent tenements to freedom fighters, ex-servicemen and people with disabilities.
The State government has notified the draft Goa Housing Board (Registration, Allotment and Sale of Tenements) Rules, 2015, which would apply to sale of tenements situated in the area comprised in housing, building scheme sanctioned under said Act.
As per the draft rules, 5 percent tenements are reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC), 2 percent to Schedule Castes (SC) and 1 percent to Schedule Tribes (ST). Similarly, 2 percent has been kept aside for ex-servicemen including personnel of Para Military Forces, and 1 percent each for freedom fighters and persons with disabilities.
However, only those people residing in Goa for nearly 15 years or more with one parent born in Goa or resident of the State for over 25 years are eligible to benefit from the Housing Board scheme.
The scheme specifies that two tenements under the Housing Board will not be provided to one person or a family. “The disposal of tenements shall be on sale (either by open auction or a lot) from time to time; with prior approval of the government,” the draft scheme reads.
Apart from the reservation, the entire State population would be divided into four groups based on the income level – economically weaker section, low-income group, middle-income group and higher income group.
The draft speaks about formation of a four-member Allotment Committee headed by chairman of Goa Housing Board, for monitoring the allocation process.
