Porvorim: The Goa Assembly on Friday passed the ‘Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill, 2023’ to prohibit sale of agriculture land for non-agriculture purpose without Collector’s nod.
However, the opposition members opposed the Bill and rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans.
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Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate said that the Bill has been brought by the government to prevent non-agriculturists from acquiring the agricultural land in the State.
The Bill seeks to impose restrictions on the transfer of certain agricultural lands in the State of Goa, so as to preserve and protect the land, which is presently being used for cultivation of paddy.
He said that henceforth agricultural land will not be transferred by sale, gift, exchange, lease, or any other mode of transfer to a person other than an agriculturist without the Collector’s permission.
The Opposition members alleged that the government was trying to sell agricultural land through backdoor by bringing in the Bill.
Allaying the apprehensions expressed by the opposition, the Minister said that the Bill is brought with good intentions and has provisions for industries, cooperative farming societies, and non-agriculturists who intend to buy agricultural land only to pursue farming.
Amidst the din, the Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar put the Bill to vote of the House and it was passed by voice vote even as one of the opposition members Viresh Borkar demanded voting in the House.
