PANJIM: Giving clear indication that the government is not in sync with the new Central Land Acquisition Policy, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday announced that he would not acquire any new land unless the Union government amended the policy. The decision was supported by the Leader of Opposition, Pratapsing Rane who suggested reservation of land under Regional Plan for government projects.
Incidentally, the present land acquisition policy was passed by the erstwhile Congress led UPA government.
“I am very clear, unless the Central government amends the Land Acquisition Policy, no land acquisition would be undertaken by the government henceforth. I have asked my land acquisition officers to try to understand each and every law, rule and guidelines of the policy,” Parrikar told the State Assembly while replying to discussion on demand for grants.
The Chief Minister said that the current land policy is against any development and it would prove dangerous to the State. This was supported by Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane who expressed apprehension over the amendment to the land policy.
“It is very difficult to predict whether the policy would be amended. The policy in its current form is very dangerous for not only Goa but for the entire Country as it has restricted land acquisitions,” he said suggesting that government should reserve the land under Regional Plan for government projects.
Taking a dig at the former Congress led UPA government at the Centre, Parrikar lamented that the Union government was involved in creating problems in the State functioning either through various legislations or through mining issue or Caitano Silva (MLA) Portuguese citizenship issue or transfer of officials. “My two years of governance went in dealing with these issues itself,” he rationalised.
Speaking on the demand for grants on Official Language, Chief Minister announced that government would set up Goa Marathi Academy for which 379 sq mtrs of land has been provided at Ribandar. He said that in the next eight days, the academy executive committee would be announced. “I would like to appeal to all language lovers, not to create controversies on language issue. We will make sure Marathi language does not suffer,” he said.
“But of all things, use of English language is more dangerous to Marathi and Konkani languages,” he said.
