No time frame for completing Goa Regional Plan 2021: Goa govt

No specific time frame can be given for completion of the draft Goa Regional Plan 2021, the Goa government has told the Legislative Assembly.
The Regional or Land Use Plan, prepared by the previous Congress-led government, had hit rough patch with various NGOs and social activists claiming that the blueprint sought to keep people out of the planning process and was using inaccurate information and data.
Scrapping the Plan was the main political plank on which the BJP-led state government came to power in 2012.
However, the government last year clarified that it was not in favour of scrapping the controversial Plan though it was willing to make "genuine corrections" in the draft.

"The government has already initiated the process of rectification, starting from Sattari and Canacona talukas, and has decided to complete 'Regional Plan for Goa 2021', which will be finalised taluka-wise," Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza, who also holds Town and Country Planning portfolio, stated in a written reply yesterday.
He said the necessary rectification in the PLan blueprint would be done after considering comments and suggestions, which is a time-consuming process.

The minister was responding to a question tabled by Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane during ongoing monsoon session.
Responding to another query, D'Souza said, "No specific time-frame is fixed, as comments/rectifications received are being forwarded to respective Taluka Office for their inputs, after conducting necessary site inspections.

"The State Level Committee (SLC) shall decide further on comments/rectifications on receipt of inputs received from respective Taluka Office," he said.
He said the process of rectifications or corrections in the Regional Plan has been carried out under section 17 of the Town and Country Planning Act.
"As per section 17 of the Act, if the government at any time, after Regional Plan has been published in Official Gazette, is of the opinion that a revision of such Regional Plan is necessary, may direct the Chief Town Planner to undertake revision of the Regional Plan," the minister stated.