Ban on agro land sale for non-agricultural use mooted
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 31
A Bill seeking to restrict the owner of agricultural land to sell or use of land for non-agricultural purpose other than agriculturists was introduced in the assembly today.
The legislation, called the Goa Land Use (regulation) Amendment Bill 2009, imposes restrictions on the owner of agriculture land to sell or use of land for non-agricultural purpose either by way of sale, gift, exchange or lease in favour of any person, including foreigners other than agriculturists.
Restrictions are also imposed for allowing use of agricultural land for any purpose other than agricultural.
The object of the aforesaid amendment, the bill says, is similar to one deemed purchasee of tenanted agricultural land which is vested in tenant as a deemed purchasee, restricting to use for the purpose not other than agriculture.
Evidently, the owner of the cultivable agricultural land which is cultivating agriculture should not use for any purpose other than agriculture.
As a result the owner will be totally statutory barred towards sale as well as for putting use of cultivable agricultural land for non-agricultural purpose, the Bill says.
The Goa Land revenue Amendment Bill: The Goa Land revenue Amendment Bill 2009 was also introduced in the assembly today.
The Bill seeks to amend Sec 33, 96, 97, 99, 101 and 102 of the Goa Land Revenue Code 1968 so as to facilitate developments of housing in settlement areas and vest powers on the mamlatdars of the taluka instead of the talathi and further seeks to enable the mamlatdar do take up mutations without any application specially in cases where other authorities have already adjudicated on issues and which are entitled to deal with.
The amendments are aimed at facilitating housing in settlement areas and system of mutation which has so far been cumbersome and time consuming to public.
