Bill restricting transfer of farm land passed amidst din

‘It is aimed at preserving paddy cultivation land’

Panaji: Amidst strong objections and protest by the opposition MLAs, the government on Friday passed the Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill, 2023 in the legislative assembly.

The bill, moved by Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate, imposes restrictions on the transfer of agricultural land in the state with an aim to preserve and protect the land which is presently being used for cultivation of paddy.

However, opposition MLAs like Vijai Sardesai, Viresh Borkar, Carlos Ferreira, Venzy Viegas, Cruz Silva and others raised strong objection to the bill alleging that it will serve as a backdoor entry to convert agricultural land for building farm houses.

Despite opposition to the bill, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the bill was only aimed at protecting the agricultural land.

Opposition legislators rushed to the well of the house and protested before the Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar. In the midst of the din, the Speaker put the bill for voting and it was passed.

The Goa Municipalities (amendment) Bill, 2023 moved by Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane, and Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 dated 15 April, 1961 (amendment) Bill, 2023 moved by Revenue Minister Monserrate were also passed by the assembly by division of votes.

The Goa Municipalities (amendment) Bill, 2023 devolves powers of delimitation to the state election commission so that elections to the municipalities are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.

The house witnessed chaos over the Goa Legislative Diploma (amendment) Bill, 2023. The opposition members clearly charged that it will destroy comunidade land in the state. However, the government agreed to a suggestion made by Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira and passed the bill with tweaking. The Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction (amendment) Bill, 2023 moved by Monserrate, which sought insertion of a proviso in sub section (1) of section 3 of the Act so as to do away requirement of written consent where the property/land divided/allotted between all co-owners or members of a family by an order or decree of the court or by registration deed or instrument, was also passed by the house.

The Goa Town and Country Planning (amendment) Bill, 2023 seeking to amend sub section 6 of section 49 of the Act was welcomed by the opposition members. However, they demanded to carry out an inquiry into illegal conversions of plots that happened in the past under the said section.

TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane said that this bill will clear loopholes in the Act and assured the members that he will take action if the cases pertaining to illegal conversions are brought to the fore.

The Goa Highway Law (Revival of Operation, Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2023 moved by PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral and the Goa Cooperative Societies (amendment) Bill, 2023 were also passed in the assembly.