Comunidade code tweak to benefit both genders: Goa Revenue minister Atanasio Monserrate

PANAJI: Revenue minister Atanasio Monserrate on Thursday said the amendment to the Code of Comunidades has been proposed to give equal rights to women, who, under the existing provisions of the law, are not entitled to be zonkars (shareholders) of comunidade bodies as only men have the right.
“We want to give equal rights to both genders in comunidades. Suppose I’m a zonkar and have a daughter, she is not eligible to be a zonkar even if she is an only child,” Monserrate said. “We want to ensure that the girl gets equal rights,” he said.
The process of bringing a change in the comunidade code has been going on for a while, but nothing has been finalised yet. A notification inviting objections and suggestions was issued sometime ago, he said.
“I’m not sure if we will be able to table the amendment in the forthcoming monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly, but we will definitely have the change,” Monserrate said.