Key Highlights
- The scheme called Mhaje Ghar provides legal title for homes built on state and community land before 28 February 2014.
- Over 11 lakh residents could gain ownership, with 50,000 properties targeted for regularisation in the first phase.
- Maximum floor areas are capped at 400 sq m for government plots (plus a 2‑m buffer) and 300 sq m for comunidade parcels.
- Regularised homes enjoy a 20‑year no‑transfer clause and are protected from demolition, even roadside dwellings from 1972.
- Officials, including police and panchayat officers, will monitor and prevent new encroachments.
Detailed Insights
Launched at a ceremony in Taleigao, the policy seeks to resolve the long‑standing issue of informal settlements lacking formal titles. By invoking the Goa Land Revenue Code, the Goa Regularisation of Unauthorized Constructions Act and the Forest Rights Act, the state will issue certificates, sanads and land orders to qualifying households. The 20‑year no‑transfer restriction ensures stability while simultaneously compelling honest disclosures through strict penalties for false claims.
Governments intend to regularise structures on community land only after obtaining community consent and paying fair compensation. The initiative also includes provisions to empower local law‑enforcement and revenue agencies so that new encroachments are swiftly curtailed after the scheme is in force.
Key Concepts
- Mhaje Ghar – The Goa government’s housing regularisation scheme granting ownership to long‑term residents.
- Goa Land Revenue Code – Legal framework governing land registration, ownership and revenue receipts in Goa.
- Goa Regularisation of Unauthorized Constructions Act – Act that allows the state to validate and officialise irregular buildings.
- Forest Rights Act – Legislation that protects forest dwellers’ rights, used here to formalise community land holdings.
- Comunidad – Traditional community land units in Goa, governed by local councils.