Team Herald
PANJIM: Three major amendments will be brought about in the Town & Country Planning Act, which includes a jail term for illegally converting orchard land, defining Goans to avail benefits of single family dwelling and for the department to hold the right to grant No Objection Certificate (NOC) for sale of land across Goa.
The amendments will be proposed before the cabinet on Wednesday, and once approved will be tabled in the upcoming winter session of the Legislative Assembly.
Town & Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai proposed an amendment to Sections 16 (A) and 17 (A) of TCP Act that relates to violations for converting orchard land. As per the punishment described in the present Act, the fine is Rs 1 lakh and registration of First Information Report (FIR).
“Till date not a single case has been registered. We have proposed to increase the fine up to Rs 10 lakh and include a provision of one year imprisonment for the violators,” the minister told reporters.
In another amendment proposed to Section 49 (6), the No Objection Certificate will now cover the entire State which will be issued by Town & Country Planning Department that hitherto has been restricted to Planning and Development Authorities. The minister explained that the proposed amendment is in line with The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act.
Approvals for single family dwelling will also see a major change in order to ensure that Goans enjoy the benefit of Zero Infrastructure Tax from the present 0-100 sq mtrs to 0-250 sq mtrs.
“The Infrastructure Tax exemption is till 100 sq mtrs and I have proposed extending till 250 sq mtrs for single family dwelling. However, to avail this benefit, the applicant will have to fulfil three conditions such as he/she should be a Goan, have 15 years of domicile and either of his parents be Goan,” Sardesai added claiming it will protect the interest of Goans.
