PANJIM, OCT 14
A distant dream of having an affordable housing plot from Goa Housing Board can be reality in near future with the board deciding to trim its size of plots almost by half.
High level sources stated that the board will provide 150 sq mts plot in its next phases as against the current trend of giving 300 sq mts or 280 sq mts land.
“With the land prices sky rocketing, having such a big plot becomes unaffordable for the lower middle class families. If plots are given to higher middle class or rich people, the basic aim of having the board itself gets defeated,” board officials stated.
The official, who refused to come on record due to current Code of Conduct, said that the land acquisition process for huge properties is going on at three places – Morjim, Colvale and Pernem.
“Once the land is acquired, the smaller size plots would be demarked and made available for the people who are in need of housing,” he said adding that it will take one or one and half year for the land acquisition formalities to be completed.
The board has been facing criticism in recent past for overpricing their plots during the auction.
Clarifying over the issue, official said that just one third of the plots are auctioned while two third are given on first-cum-first-serve (FCFS) basis and on the lots.
“When plots are allotted on FCFS basis and lots, they are given at a no-loss-no-profit basis. Which means they are given out at cheaper rates and the board doesn’t benefit anything,” he said.
As such, the corporation in order to make up for the financial liability suffered after selling plots for no profit has to auction one third at a market price.
Official said that the plots in places like Mapusa are auctioned for something around Rs 4,000 to Rs 16,000 per square metres. “When we earn through auctioning than only we can provide cheap plots for others,” he stated.
Goa Housing Board constituted under Goa Housing Board Act, 1968 is a Statutory Body engaged, amongst others to provide Social Housing to the poor, affordable housing to other sections of Society as also to moderate private pricing of housing in the state.
