Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Housing Board (GHB) Gogol tenements allottees have demanded extension of time to make payments from the existing 25 days.
The allottees alongwith Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Navelim called upon Housing Minister and GHB Chairman Jayesh Salgaonkar and GHB Managing Director Sabaji Shetye and expressed their inability to pay the sum within the stipulated 25 days from the date of allotment.
BJYM President Vinayak Volvoikar pointed out that the tenements were constructed around three years back. He said “Since then those who had applied have been saving money to pay the installments and nobody thought that they would have to make the payment in one go.”
He claimed that the banks are not willing to give an advance at such a short notice and demanded intervention of the GHB. “The Goa Housing Board should convince the banks to give the loans and also extend the time given to them to pay the amount,” he stated.
Volvoikar informed that on 24th October 2018 the GHB instead of allotting the tenements by draw of lots changed the system to sell the tenements by auction where the highest bidder got the tenement. “The Board had asked the applicants to provide an income certificate to apply for the tenements which were meant for the economically weaker sections and in such a situation selling the tenements by auction is unfair and against the very purpose of obtaining the income certificate,” he said.
Stating that the cost of cost of the tenements as per the market value should have been Rs. 25000 per sq mt, Volvoikar informed that the GHB fixed the starting rate at Rs. 35000 and the tenements were auctioned upto the rate of Rs 50000 per sq mt.
He said “The Goa Housing Board should be named as Goa Housing Board Developers Private Limited as the rates are comparable to those offered by private developers.”
