PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the government will reintroduce The Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill, 2021 by omitting the word Bhumiputra and after receiving suggestions from the people.
Addressing the people of Goa via video conferencing, Sawant said the government will accept suggestions from the people from Wednesday and that these can be sent on separate website link – goaonline.gov.in, which will be activated from Wednesday afternoon.
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Admitting that a large number of people have expressed their sentiments to the use of the word Bhumiputra, Sawant said the word Bhumiputra will now be omitted from the Bill and it will be rechristened as Goa Bhumi Adhikarini Bill, 2021 and will be reintroduced by incorporating good/valid suggestions in the winter session of the Goa Assembly to be convened within the next two months.
Slamming the Opposition members for staging a walkout when the Bill was taken up for considering and passing in the House, the Chief Minister said the Bill was passed with minor amendments. “The Opposition members had the opportunity to speak on the Bill and they chose to walk out,” he said.
The Chief Minister clarified that the Bill was passed with the intention to give ownership rights to houses built on the government and comunidade lands.
Stating that the government had conducted a survey and study before bringing the Bill, Sawant said nearly 6.5 lakh houses situated across the State have been issued house numbers and have electricity and water connections but 50 per cent of these houses have no occupants names entered in Form I and XIV and hardly 20 per cent of these have been built by obtaining construction licences and occupancy certificates.
Due to these problems, many occupants of such houses face problems to avail benefits of various government schemes. Till date only 26 persons residing in rural areas and little over 100 persons from urban areas could avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, providing housing to all.
Explaining the reasons for bringing the bill, he said as per the land survey conducted in Goa in 1971, as many as 1.81 lakh people have been shown in other rights column of the Form I and XIV.
Sawant said once the Bill becomes law would help to save 500 illegal houses situated in Canacona taluka, which have been ordered for demolition.
He clarified that those staying in rented rooms will not be entitled for any benefits under the Bill. The Bill is purely brought with the intention to help mull Goenkars, he said.
