CM Sawant vows to regularise native Goans' homes on government land

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said his dispensation was committed to regularising native Goans' houses built on government or community lands through various laws. The government aims to remove the fear from the minds of local people that their houses would be pulled down, he said.

Addressing the state-level Independence Day function in Panaji, Sawant said various legislations moved during the recently-held assembly session would regularise the houses of Goans. "For decades, native Goans have been living in houses constructed on government land. They were always afraid of litigation resulting in demolition of their structures," he said. The government has allowed such houses to be regularised so that they are saved from the fear of demolition, he said.

Similarly, there are some houses which are constructed on comunidade (community) lands that existed there for years. "We have passed a law which will help them regularise their houses by paying a certain amount as fine," he said. Sawant appealed to the opposition parties not to indulge in politics over the matter and allow Goans to have the right over their own dwellings. The chief minister was apparently referring to the protest by opposition benches during the recently-concluded assembly session, who had opposed the passage of the law regularising the houses on comunidade lands. Sawant congratulated the central government for giving political reservation to the Scheduled Tribes community by passing a bill in Parliament. "The BJP government is working with an all-inclusive approach," he said. The state government is promoting green industries in the state, he added.

"We have also made amendments to the law to ensure that there is an ease of doing business in the state," Sawant said.