Government of Goa has come up with proactive measures to ensure the protection and sustainable management of the state’s natural resources, particularly its land resources and biodiversity.
Transfer of Agricultural Land Act will face restriction in order to safeguard Goa’s agricultural land. This legislation aims to prevent misuse and restrict non-agricultural activities on farmland.
Amendment to Section 32 of the Goa Land Revenue Code has reinforced the Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Act, 2023. This prevents agricultural land from being repurposed for non-agricultural uses, with a focus on protecting farmland and promoting cultivation.
Conversion Charges have been increased to discourage the conversion of all land types to maintain green cover, charges for changing land use have been increased from Rs 200 per square-metre to Rs 1,000 per square-metre. However, the previous rates have been retained for land parcels up to 500 square meters, providing relief to the general public.
Base Rate adjustments have been done in Bardez and Pernem Talukas in an effort to curb land misuse. The base rates for land in these talukas have been increased by 2.6 times, while the older rates continue to apply for land parcels under 500 square meters, ensuring that common men are not unduly burdened.
Government has also constituted a committee to study landslides and propose restoration measures in the State. In addition, the Goa Biodiversity Board has taken up Notification of Biodiversity Heritage Sites, Wetland Conservation (15 Wetlands Notified), State Action Plan for Climate Change, Village level People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) which are some of the measures taken for protecting Goa’s landscape, informed Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant via a post on ‘X’.
