the goan I network
MARGAO
Call it a legislation to ban sale of agricultural land or simply a measure to retain the state’s identity. Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday announced that the government would pilot a Bill in the ensuing Assembly session to ban the sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturists in the State even as TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said special status is nothing but a special legislation to protect the State’s agricultural land which cannot be done by a company law.
The two ministers also announced that the government would bring a Bill to introduce contract farming, but declined to go into the two legislations saying it is not proper to discuss the salient features of the two Bills when the Assembly session is round the corner.
The Revenue Minister said the Bill on the ban on the sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturists would imply that farmers will be barred from selling land to non farmers. “Only a farmer can sell the land to another farmer and not to a non-agriculturist”, Khaunte said.
“The issue of special status has long been occupying the minds of the people and the government. By this legislation to ban sale of agriculture land to non-agriculturists, the government is looking in a way to retain the agricultural land.
SAVING GOA FOR POSTERITY
Government looking at a way to retain agricultural land
Ban on sale of agri land to non-agriculturists to imply that farmers will be barred from selling land to non-farmers
With this legislation, agri land will not fall into the hand of any non-agriculturists
Sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturists cannot be barred by any other law
Company law does not have provision to control sale of agri land to non-agriculturists
