PANAJI
Even as the 'Mhaje Ghar' scheme backed by legislation has now landed before the Bombay High Court at Goa for a test of its legality, the State government has notified more reforms related to landholdings of Comunidades which could potentially reshape Goa's rural landscape.
By notifying the Goa Comunidade Land Development and Regulation Rules, 2025, earlier last week, the State has opened the doors for largescale development of Comunidade land for housing through direct deals with developers via the auction route.
Under these new rules published in the State's official gazette last week, Comunidades will be permitted to collaborate with private developers through a competitive bidding process.
The move could unlock for housing development vast tracts of green land held by Comunidades – traditional village institutions that own and manage community land – across rural Goa.
The new framework allows Comunidades to invite bids from developers for land development, provided that the managing committee approves the proportion of land to be developed.
Crucially, the rules mandate that “the Comunidade shall retain at least 50 per cent of the plots,” ensuring that community ownership remains central to the process.
Further, the rules stipulate that “20 per cent of the built-up area shall be reserved for affordable housing to Gaonkars/ Jonoeiros,” and the shareholders of the Comunidade, “after deducting the area used to develop amenities” such as roads, parks, drainage systems, and community centres.
This provision is seen as a safeguard to ensure that native stakeholders benefit directly from the development boom these rules are expected to trigger.
The rules also lay down strict timelines and compliance mechanisms such as developers having to submit detailed proposals and commence work within three months of receiving permissions.
The Comunidade, according to the rules, retains the right to inspect the project and can reject proposals that do not meet its standards. In such cases, developers may appeal, but must vacate the project site if the appeal fails.
Urban planners and real estate developers The Goan spoke to are unanimous that the move could unleash a wave of construction activity across Goa’s hinterlands.
With Comunidades holding significant land banks in rural areas, the new rules offer a structured pathway for real estate development but could drastically transform the agrarian character of the age-old village communes.
“This is a game-changer,” said a top Panaji-based builder arguing that it balances the need for growth with the rights of traditional landholding bodies.
However, the policy has also sparked debate. Without robust oversight, the influx of private developers could lead to overdevelopment and strain local infrastructure," the builder who wished to remain anonymous, said.
Meanwhile, these new rules could open a fresh confrontation for the government with Goa's greens many of who are already up in arms over the former's support for large-scale development projects perceived to be ecologically destructive.
Concerns over the ecological impact of large-scale construction in Goa’s fragile coastal and 'green cover' zones could come in for scrutiny because of these recently notified rules.
The government, meanwhile, has emphasised that all development must comply with existing laws and regulations, as stated in Rule 1 of the notification.
As Comunidades begin to explore partnerships with developers, the coming months will be critical in determining how effectively the new rules which could redefine rural Goa and transform the cultural and communal ethos of the Comunidade system, are implemented.
