the goan I network
PANAJI
The Government of Goa has notified amendments to the Goa Daman and Diu Land Revenue (Disposals of Government Lands) Rules 1971 inserting a new rule 47 after rule 46 defining the premium that the beneficiary will have to pay in order to secure ‘alvara’ lands in their name.
According to the notification called the Goa Land Revenue (Disposal of Government Lands) (Eighth Amendment) Rules, 2018 “the premium to be paid shall be 1/20th of the fair market value of the land as prevailing on the date of application.”
Earlier the Goa Legislative Assembly passed the Goa Land Revenue Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017 fulfilling a long-pending demand of occupants of Alvara land by giving them clear titles to the property.
Through the Bill the government allowed the occupants to confirm their title over the land if they make an application in the prescribed form to the Collector within a period of six months from the date of commencement of the amended Act, provided all the conditions laid down in the decree of 1917 were complied with. The price was, however, not fixed.
The Collector will now verify the documents and after conducting an inquiry submit his/her report to the government stating as to whether the applicant has a definitive title to the land occupied.
The Government after considering the report either approve or reject it and in the event the government finds that the applicant has a definitive title to the land, it may direct the collector to issue a certificate of confirmation of the definitive title to the applicant.
The Bill also provides for the government the powers to relax the six-month period, if it is satisfied that the applicant could not apply for reasons beyond his control.
To those whose applications are
rejected, the government has provided for regularization of their occupancy on payment of a prescribed fee within 30 days.
Further, if on receiving a title, if an occupant wishes to sell the land, he/she can do so through giving the government 10% of the value of the land or the sale proceeds whichever is higher.
The history of the land goes back to the year 1917 when the Portuguese government promulgated a decree No. 3602 dated 24.11.1917 allowing allotment of lands on lease mainly for agricultural purposes. In 2007, the land revenue code was amended to provide for the regularisation of the leases and the possessors declared as occupants (Class II).
The present procedure allows occupants to become Occupants Class I, or
full owners.
