The Goa Legislative Assembly recently passed the Goa Restrictions on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill, 2023, which imposes restrictions on the sale of agricultural land in the state. The new law aims to protect agricultural land from being acquired for commercial or industrial purposes, and to ensure that the state has a sufficient supply of food.
The law defines agricultural land as land that is currently being used for the cultivation of paddy. It prohibits the sale of agricultural land to anyone other than an agriculturist, defined as an individual who cultivates agricultural land personally. The law also prohibits the use of agricultural land for purposes other than agriculture.
The law includes a number of exceptions to these restrictions. For example, the sale of agricultural land is permitted to a spouse, child, or parent of the owner. The sale of agricultural land is also permitted to a non-agriculturist if the land is to be used for agricultural purposes within three years of the sale.
The new law has been welcomed by farmers' organizations, who have long been concerned about the loss of agricultural land in Goa. However, the law has also been criticized by some business groups, who argue that it will make it more difficult to acquire land for development projects.
The new law is expected to come into effect on July 1, 2023.
Via: Mondaq
Agricultural land in Goa
