Panaji : The Goa Housing Board Steps have been taken to amend the rules and procedure for allotment of housing plots through auction. One of the major changes made in the rules stipulates that the Board will have to set the minimum price for a plot based on the minimum land prices determined by the Revenue Department.
The Allotment Committee has been replaced by a Screening Committee, which will have to complete the scrutiny process of all applications within 30 days. The new norms are part of a change in Goa Housing Board (Registration, Allotment and Sale of Plots) Rules.
“The Board will fix the minimum price per square meter of plot, including the minimum price for the auction category, taking into account the rates prescribed by the Revenue Department for a particular land. This includes land development charges to determine the price of the plot. Such price per square meter will be final and binding on the allottee, the Goa Housing Board said in a notification.
The board will decide the prices of the plots as per the earlier rules. The government is keen to stop revenue leakage and capture the true value of land transactions in the state. The revenue department has taken the step to simultaneously increase the minimum land rates for Salcete, Tiswadi and Mormugao. The minimum rates for Pernem and Bardez have already been increased.
A notification issued by Joint Secretary (Housing), Amalia Pinto, said, “Notice is given that the draft rules will be considered by the government after the expiry of a period of 15 days from the date of publication of this notification.”
As per the new norms the successful allottee will have to pay the entire amount within a period of 90 days from the date of receipt of the allotment order. Earlier a grace period of 20 days was given. Failure to make full payment will result in forfeiture of 5% of the initial deposit. Earlier, the board used to confiscate 15% of the initial deposit amount.
Once the plot is allotted, the person has to build a residential house or bungalow with a composite wall on the allotted plot within a period of three years from the date of issue of sale letter. Failure to construct within the stipulated period allows the Goa Housing Board to take back the plot, and the payment will be refunded after forfeiting the entire initial deposit.
On payment of penalty for delayed construction, the Managing Director of the Board can extend the period of construction of the house up to a maximum of 10 years. At present, a period of eight years is given to build a bungalow.
The Board has also made it mandatory to execute conveyance deed after the expiry of five years from the occupancy certificate for transfer of residential plot. In case of institutional plots, once the construction is completed and the occupancy certificate is issued, the Board will execute a transfer deed for the transfer of the plot in favor of the institution.
