Around 1.20 lakh flats lying locked in Goa: Parrikar

Almost 23 per cent of houses in Goa are lying locked as buyers are not staying there, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Legislative Assembly today.
"Out of the five lakh flats constructed in the state, around 1.20 lakh are locked; either it is a second home or buyer is not living there," Parrikar said.
The chief minister said this trend is putting a strain on infrastructure as "only 8 per cent of the total land amounting to 30,000-40,000 hectares is available for development. We need to ensure that some land should be preserved for posterity".
Parrikar said Goa can not be a destination for alternate houses.

"The state government enhanced infrastructure tax during the recent budget and the state government might give concession to locals in this regard," he said on demands for grants on town and country planning department.
Parrikar said the land use plan for the state would be ready within six months.

"The Land Use Plan, termed Regional Plan 2021, will be kept partially open for the public in June, this year," he said.
Parrikar said the Plan would be kept for referendum in July-August wherein the entire village will have to vote and decide what kind of developmental plan is suitable for them.

"The village panchayats will have right to decide on whether they want development or not. But once they decide, it can not be rolled back by them," the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition benches today criticised the state government over its "failure" to finalise the Regional Plan, in absence of which the infrastructure development has taken a back seat in the state.