PANAJI
In what could be a major decision in the wake of criticism from various quarters, the Goa government is now contemplating the withdrawal of the Bhumiputra Adhikarani Bill.
During the discussion on Revenue and in response to a cut motion, Minister Atanasio Monserrate informed the House that the government is currently exploring the possibility of retracting the controversial Bill.
“The department is currently considering the option of withdrawing the bill,” he said.
The Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill, 2021, was introduced and passed within hours of its presentation in the Legislative Assembly on July 29, 2021.
According to the proposed law at that time, any individual who had been a resident of Goa for more than 30 years qualified as a ‘bhumiputra’ (son of the soil) and could apply for ownership of the house they had been living in, with a plinth area of up to 250 square meters, even if the land on which it stood was owned by the government, a private person, or commonly owned.
Any structure built before April 1, 2019, qualified for ownership under this law. Despite facing severe criticism and demands that the Governor should not give his assent, the Chief Minister strongly defended the legislation. Subsequently, the government decided to let the Bill lapse instead of reviving it.
Replying to allegations of land grab, the minister stated that the government has taken a significant step towards preventing land grab cases and land fraud by integrating Aadhar Card with land record rights.
“We are planning to link Aadhaar numbers with land records. This move aims to ensure that whenever any changes are made to property rights, the registered owner receives a notification. The government also intends to enhance the online property register managed by the Department of Settlement and Land Records. This upgraded register will enable people to verify property ownership and access other relevant information before entering into any transactions,” he told the House.
Plans to link financial institutions, judicial and quasi-judicial decisions, Public Works Department, and the electricity department with the property register are also on the cards.
“This integration will make any encumbrances on the property publicly known,” Monserrate said.
On Employment, Monserrate -- also Minister for Employment -- disclosed that the government is in the process of discontinuing the mandatory requirement of an employment card for government job applications.
