Goa may amend tenancy law

The state government is considering amending the Goa Tenancy Act to facilitate agricultural land owners to lend properties on contract basis for agricultural activities to farmers' associations, SHGs and other farmers.

Goa CM Pratapsingh Rane, said the proposed amendment would help bring fallow land under cultivation.

"Land owners have been finding it difficult to cultivate paddy and other crops, mainly because it has become highly uneconomical. They also don't offer the land to prospective cultivators as the past experience has shown that they have lost the land just because they trusted the cultivator," the chief minister said.

He added: "The cultivators, under no circumstances, will be able to claim tenancy rights over the land. Rights of the owner will be protected at all costs by the government."