Govt has facility to create data bank of NRI, PIO properties: CM

Porvorim: The government has a facility to create a data bank of landed properties — other than flats and shops — of Goan NRIs and PIOs who are willing to register their properties, chief minister Pramod Sawant told the House on Tuesday. This, he said, would prevent the manipulation of land records and the subsequent execution of fraudulent sale deeds or transactions.
Sawant was responding to a question by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on provisions under the law to protecting properties of NRIs and NRGs (non-resident Goans). Lobo also sought to know whether the government intended to introduce a law to protect land belonging to Goans.
“At the initiative of the commissioner for NRI affairs, the government had amended the Goa Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1968, to enable NRIs to recover possession of their premises when the same are bonafide required for their occupation, or for the occupation of any member of their family. This amendment came into force from June 25, 2009 and benefits NRIs seeking recovery of possession of their premises,” Sawant said in a written reply.
He submitted that one land-grabbing complaint was filed by an NRI and six by NRGs over past three years.
The chief minister further said that Portuguese passport holders have not shared details of their properties with the state government. He was responding to a question by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar on whether the government has any mechanism in place to protect properties of Portuguese passport holders of Goan origin from land/property scams that the state is currently embroiled in. “Generally, all public records and documents are preserved by the respective departments,” Sawant said.
The home department said there is no proposal under consideration to take up issue of rights of Goans holding Portuguese passports.