Team Herald
PANJIM: Reiterating the demand for special category status for the State for getting financial assistance from the Centre and also to protect its unique culture and identity, Congress’ senior MLA Luizinho Faleiro will be moving a private member’s Bill seeking a ban on sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturists and non Goans during the monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly.
Faleiro, a former Chief Minister, will introduce ‘The Goa Agricultural Bill 2018’ in the House, which also speaks about imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 and simple imprisonment not exceeding two years, against the violators of law.
Addressing media persons on Saturday, Faleiro said that the Bill will be introduced under Article 246 (3) of the Constitution and more expressly in terms of entry 18 of List II of Schedule VII, vide which, land; its transfer and alienation of agricultural land is a State subject upon which State Legislature has exclusive authority to legislate.
The Bill prohibits a non-agriculturalist from acquiring any agricultural land whether as land owner, landlord, tenant of mortgagee and also a non-resident from holding the land. “Every acquisition of land other than by way of inheritance of bequest in contravention of this section shall be null and void,” the Bill states.
The Bill, however, grants power to the aggrieved person to appeal before the Administrative Tribunal within 30 days and that the order passed in the appeal will be final.
“It must be noted that protection under the mandate of Article 371 of the Constitution is a genuine aspiration of the people of Goa to preserve, protect and conserve their rich heritage, customs, culture, traditions, folklore, our landscape, etc. But, while we continue to press for this demand it must be the endeavour of the government to take all such measures to act in such appropriate manner,” he said.
“This legislation seeks to propose one such measure which the State government could take in the direction of special category status to protect the agricultural lands from falling prey to the land sharks,” he added.
Faleiro said that vast tracks of our lands have fallen prey to the real estate sharks thus threatening the distinctive identity of the State, which has fascinated the people world over.
