Rejects migrant-benefit claims; says scheme aims to regularise pre-1971, 20-point and other eligible homes; 240 beneficiaries receive orders in South Goa
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant seen along with his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs with the beneficiaries of the Mhaje Ghar scheme at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao on Thursday.
MARGAO
Seeking to dispel misconceptions surrounding the Mhaje Ghar scheme, that the scheme has been introduced to benefit the migrants, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday asserted that the scheme aims to facilitate the regularisation of houses under different categories, including houses built prior to 1971, dwellings covered under the 20-point programme, houses constructed on one’s own property, among other eligible categories et al.
Incidentally, not a single order for regularisation of houses on comunidade land was issued at the function, sources confirmed, as most of the beneficiaries are either applicants whose houses existed prior to 1971, under the 20-point programme, and other heads.
Addressing a function at Ravindra Bhavan in Margao, where regularisation orders were distributed to around 240 beneficiaries from South Goa, the Chief Minister reiterated that the scheme is intended to provide relief to the people of Goa to regularise houses built before 1971, houses under the 20-point programme, regularisation of houses built in one’s own property et al.
Making a fervent plea to those who have still not applied for the scheme to avail the benefits, the Chief Minister, however, said the government is committed to regularise the houses of the people by organising camps at the panchayat level.
While complimenting the beneficiaries who have received sanads on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that revenue officials will soon move to the villages to hold special camps in a bid to get more and more people avail benefits of the scheme.
“There is confusion amongst the people of Goa that the Mhaje Ghar scheme is introduced to regularise the houses of migrants. This is a misconception. The scheme intends to provide relief to houses built prior to 1971 belonging to the Mull Goemkars, who had no documents over his house. Similarly, the scheme will provide relief to the occupants of the 20-point housing scheme, introduced in the State in 1980,” the Chief Minister said.
He added: “What is wrong when the scheme seeks to provide title documents to families displaced after their rehabilitation to make way for government projects such as Selaulim irrigation project, etc. Then people who have built houses within their own property, but have no proper documentation can avail benefits from the scheme.”
Further pointing out that hundreds of Niz Goemkars must have built houses on government lands in the hinterland talukas, the Chief Minister demanded to know what wrong the government is committing if these people are being given the sanads to own the property after payment of fees.
In his address, Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira congratulated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for his courage to introduce the Mhaje Ghar scheme in the State. “The Chief Minister deserves full credit for introducing the scheme. I first became a MLA in 1994 and since then had been trying to regularise the houses at Nagoa under the 20-point programme through then CM Pratapsing Rane had issued the sanads. Many must have not understood the significance of the scheme, I request the people to avail the benefits,” he said.
Addressing the programme, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has taken care of the poor and the downtrodden section of society by introducing the Mhaje Ghar scheme. “This only goes to show that this government is for the benefit of the poor,” he added.
Govt to launch ‘Mhaje Flat’ scheme
MARGAO: After Mhaje Ghar scheme, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday announced ‘Mhaje Flat’ scheme for the benefit of many flat owners, who are yet to get their ownership documents despite purchasing the flats.
During an interaction with the media after distributing orders regularising houses at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, the Chief Minister said there are many flat owners who are yet to obtain their ownership documents of their apartment despite making legal purchases.
“The government will soon bring the ‘Mhaje Flat’ scheme to bestow ownership of the apartments on the legal owners,” he added.
