the goan I network
MARGAO
Nearly 55 years after the Goa government requisitioned land admeasuring 35,690 sqmts to establish the 3Military Training Regiment (3MTR) at Aquem-Baixo, the displaced persons have finally received the Certificate of Ownership to the plots on Thursday.
Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate drove to the district Collectorate, South to hand over the Certificates of Ownership to 49 owners in the presence of Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, district Collector, South Ajit Roy, Additional Collector, Surendra Naik and the displaced owners.
The Certificates of ownership were distributed to the beneficiaries as per the Goa (Allotment of Plots to Certain Displaced Persons) Act, 2016 which was passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly on August 31, 2016.
The land in question was requisitioned by the Goa government on January 14, 1964 under Section 29 of the Defense of India Act, 1962 and later sub-divided the land and allotted plots to certain persons who were displaced due to the acquisition of the land.
In her brief address, the Revenue Minister said the document proves that they are the rightful owners to the land where they are residing with their houses. “With these documents, the persons can go ahead with the mutations,
an assurance that the land belongs to them”, Jennifer said.
The Minister said she has no idea why it took so long to hand over the Certificates of Ownership to the residents, saying she has only fulfilled the promises she had made to local MLA Luizinho Faleiro in the Assembly and the beleaguered residents during her visit to Aquem Baixo some months ago.
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro thanked the Revenue Minister for finally resolving the long pending demand of the people of Aquem-Baixo and complimented the district Collector, Ajit Roy, Additional Collector Surendra Naik and Collectorate staff for resolving the issue. “I am happy that the Revenue Minister has honoured the promise made to me on the floor of the House”, Faleiro added.
District Collector, Ajit Roy said all the property rights to the plots allotted to the residents had vested in them since the Goa Assembly had passed the Goa (Allotment of Plots to Certain Displaced Persons) Act, 2016. “The Act itself is a title document and the certificate issued today has become a most important certificate. This is your right to the plots, your ownership over the plot”, the Collector said.
