The Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill 2023 was passed during the state Assembly's recent budget session. "We congratulate the government on passing this bill," BJP state unit spokesperson Giriraj Vernekar told reporters.
The measure protects Goa's paddy fields by establishing restrictions on the transfer of specific agricultural areas in the state in order to conserve and protect the land that is already used for rice production.
Previously, there were few limits on who could buy paddy fields, and the selling of such paddy fields, particularly to non-Goans, drove up property prices, he claimed. "This bill benefits genuine farmers. It will ensure that paddy fields are planted and not utilized for anything other than agriculture," he stressed.
According to the BJP politician, one of Goa's main attractions is its paddy fields. "With this historic bill, the BJP government will ensure that such paddy fields are preserved for future generations in Goa."
"Despite the fact that the bill is in Goa's best interests, the opposition parties are opposed to it. While the BJP government is taking various initiatives to preserve the state's identity, the opposition parties are opposing these measures in order to preserve their own," he added.
The chief minister stated that this will prevent persons from locations like Delhi and other states (non-Goans) from purchasing and 'converting' paddy lands in Goa. The bill expressly prohibits the sale of rice farms for non-agricultural purposes.
