NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Giving up on the issue of special status for Goa, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday said that his government would, however, make all efforts to protect the unique identity of the state and its depleting land resources by enacting land-related legislation, if need be. “However, as of now, I don’t see such an immediate requirement,” he added.
Interacting informally with the pressmen, the Chief Minister said that Goa has taken a giant leap in the area of development, and hence would not be eligible for special status in terms of financial packages from the Centre. “However, my government will be striving hard to protect and preserve the unique identity of Goa,” he noted.
Speaking further, the Chief Minister said that every six months, he is collecting information as regards sale of lands in Goa, from the land revenue registrar. “And from the data I have received, the problems related to land transactions concerning outsiders have either been nullified or reduced,” Parsekar added, pointing out that if there is really a need to bring some land-related legislation for maintaining the unique identity of Goa, then it would be done. “But then there is no such need at present,” he concluded.
Incidentally, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party GVL Narsimha Rao, who was recently in Goa, had said that “the chapter of providing special status to different states in the country, with the backing of the Indian Constitution is over,” and the same has now been replaced with devolution of funds to various states, as a part of the share of their tax revenue, through the 14th Finance Commission.