PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday issued a stern warning to panchayats and municipal authorities against delaying the issuance of Mhaje Ghar regularisation certificates, making it clear that officials failing to meet the prescribed timelines would face disciplinary action.
24-hour clearance
Directing panchayat secretaries to clear applications within 24 hours if all requisite documents are in place, Sawant said the process must not be delayed on the grounds of convening panchayat meetings or obtaining resolutions. Secretaries have been empowered to issue regularisation certificates directly, without requiring the Sarpanch’s signature or a panchayat resolution.
The Chief Minister said the entire process should be completed within three days. Deputy Collectors must issue Sanad certificates within 24 to 48 hours, following which panchayat secretaries must issue regularisation certificates without delay. He also directed all panchayats to set up dedicated help desks to assist applicants and expedite the disposal of pending cases.
3,500 houses regularised
Around 3,500 houses have been regularised under the scheme so far, and the government intends to accelerate the disposal of the remaining applications.
The government is also considering a review of the scheme to remove certain penalties and restrictive provisions relating to land charges and property transfers, wherever necessary. Under the existing provisions, residential structures regularised on Comunidade land attract a penalty of 20 per cent over the base occupancy or compensation rate. Sawant said the scheme had also been extended to houses and flats allotted under Goa Housing Board schemes. Around 150 houses in the Dabolim and Cortalim constituencies have benefited, while houses allotted under rehabilitation schemes in Cumbharjua would also be considered.
Repair licences
Addressing complaints about panchayats refusing repair licences to house owners, he said such instances should be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister’s Office.
EHN clarification
On Enable House Numbers (EHN), Sawant clarified that houses issued EHN before the High Court’s order in February 2025 would continue to be eligible for water and electricity connections. However, EHN does not amount to regularisation, and no fresh EHN would be issued.
He said the government had written to the PWD and the electricity department to ensure that eligible households were not denied connections. House tax and garbage tax would also be levied, with panchayat secretaries authorised to issue the necessary permissions without insisting on a panchayat resolution.
November 15 deadline
Separately, the government has set November 15 as the deadline for disposing of all applications relating to houses constructed on plots allotted under the 20-point programme.
Kushavati District Collector Gurudas Desai said 5,179 plots had been allotted across the State under the programme and all pending regularisation cases would be taken up for disposal by the deadline.
