PANJIM: Former External Affairs Minister Eduardo Faleiro on Tuesday demanded that the State government immediately scrutinise all land deals by foreigners in Goa before the coastal State becomes a base for illegal activities like drug trafficking and prostitution.
Addressing media persons, Faleiro pointed out that as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, foreigners cannot acquire immovable property in India unless they have established a business in the country as per Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). “Yet it is found that many evade this law,” he said.
The former NRI Commissioner stated that the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has cautioned that real estate projects by foreigners in Goa might include drug trafficking, gun running and prostitution. “It has even said that some foreign drug cartels are attempting to turn Goa into a base for their illegal activities,” he added.
Faleiro demanded that the government immediately scrutinize all land deals by foreigners and if there is any illegality, confiscate the property and punish the offenders. The Congress leader urged the government to bring in a regulation to ban sale of land to non Goans. “BJP government had promised special status and now it says it is not possible. We were asking special status to grant protection to our land,” he said.
“Land being a State subject, the State can bring in legislation on regularizing the land sale as per the 74th amendment to the Constitution. As a result of this legal provision, a State is competent to enact laws to restrict land transactions, so as to protect the interest of local people,” Faleiro said.
