MARGAO
The government is seriously considering bringing a bill either in the ensuing monsoon session or in the winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly on contract farming to give a big boost to agriculture.
Two key ministers in the Manohar Parrikar-led government “ Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte and Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai -- have discussed the issue of making contract farming a law and ensure that no land remains fallow in the state.
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said the issue was discussed with the Revenue Minister since many issues fall in the domain of the revenue department, including the Comunidades, which has large tracts of its land lying without cultivation. “It has been decided that the Revenue Minister will pilot the contract farming bill either in the ensuing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly or the next session to bring fallow agricultural land under cultivation,” he said.
The Agriculture Minister said that the Act will seek to protect the interest of the owner of the agricultural land as well as incentivize the person who cultivates the land on contract.
“Thousands of hectares of agricultural land is lying fallow after the Tenancy Act came into force out of fear that the land may go to the tenant cultivating the fields.
This has had an adverse impact on agriculture in the state over the years,” Sardessai said, adding that the contract farming bill will seek to allay fears in the minds of the owners, including individuals and institutions, that giving the land on contract will no in way deny them ownership of the land.
