MARGAO
The government's decision to notify the hike in land rates for assessment of stamp duty during the purchase of land in Tiswadi, Salcete, and Mormugao talukas has stirred a hornet’s nest.
The Congress was quick to slam the government for what the party termed as the unjustified steep hike in land rates, saying the notified rates were a direct attempt to keep Goans away from purchasing land.
By the notification, the government has classified land as Urban, Developing, Rural, and Coastal in these three talukas. In the urban areas, the notified hike in Tiswadi (Panaji) is pegged at a whopping 300 per cent to 600 per cent; in Salcete urban areas (Margao & Cuncolim), it ranges between 100 per cent in Margao to 230 per cent in Cuncolim. In Mormugao taluka (all municipal wards), the hike is between 375 per cent to 695 per cent.
For villages classified as "Developing" in Tiswadi taluka, the hike ranges from 120 per cent in Renovadi to 600 per cent in Bambolim. Salcete village developing areas are tagged with a hike ranging from 80 per cent in Navelim and Davorlim to 290 per cent in Aquem. And in Mormugao taluka, the "Developing" areas see a hike of an unimaginable 900 per cent in Cortalim to 1290 per cent in Sancoale, St. Jacinto Island, and Dabolim.
As far as rural areas are concerned, for Tiswadi villages classified as rural, the hike ranges from 140 per cent in Neura and Mercurim to 730 per cent in Capao village. Salcete villages classified as rural see a hike ranging between 200 per cent to 940 per cent in Macazana village. In Mormugao rural villages, the hike is pegged at unprecedented levels, ranging between 2400 per cent for Cuelim to 2760 per cent for Quelossim, Congress leader Savio Coutinho said.
In respect of coastal areas, while no village from Tiswadi is classified as a coastal area, nine villages of Salcete come under coastal areas. Sernabatim faces a hike of only 60 per cent, while Betalbatim stands highest with a hike of 750 per cent, he added.
“Just like the rural areas of Mormugao taluka, the coastal villages here face the steepest hike in rates from 1900 per cent in Velsao to a 2400 per cent hike in Cansaulim,” Coutinho said. Charging that this notification was a direct attempt to keep Goans away from purchasing land, Congress District President Savio D'Silva charged that the government is making it more convenient for outsiders to purchase Goan land, and that is how the non-Goan builder lobby is taking over Goan land and destroying Goa.
The party has demanded the immediate rollback or de-notification of the new rates. Party leader Savio Coutinho further called upon all Goans to rise up and oppose this move of the government. "The government, through this notification, is only testing public reaction by making these monstrous rates applicable only to three talukas of Tiswadi, Salcete, and Mormugao. But very soon, fresh notifications will come up, making similar rates applicable to other talukas as well," he cautioned.
Coutinho further explained that the huge hike in rates doesn't limit the burden only with respect to the basic rate of stamp duty; with the substantial increase in land value, the stamp duty rate applicable gets pushed to a higher rate from three per cent to 4.5 per cent. “Considering the other outgoings in the form of registration fees, land conversion fees, construction licence/cess, infrastructure fees, etc., a person planning to build a house has to spend 10-12 lakhs much before the commencement of construction,” he added.
Congress leader Moreno Rebelo demanded that the government should either de-notify the land rates or prove that they have not hiked the rates to prevent Goans from purchasing land by making the old rates applicable to Goans. “If need be, the provisions in the Succession, Special Notary, and Inventory Proceeding Act 2012 may be applied to define who qualifies to be a Goan,” he added.
The Congress has warned that people will be forced to take to the streets if the government fails to de-notify the rates within 15 days.
