What is the Goa Bill restricting sale of agricultural land, why it is facing opposition

The Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill 2023 seeks to impose restrictions on the transfer (sale) of agricultural lands in Goa to non-agriculturalists.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said it would save the state’s paddy fields from being taken over by buyers for non-agriculture purposes.

“…After the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act, this is the second such Bill in the last 60 years enacted by the state to safeguard the paddy fields,” Sawant told the media earlier this week.

The Bill states, “No person who owns or occupies or is in possession of an agricultural land shall transfer such land by way of sale, gift, exchange, lease or by any other mode of transfer, in favour of a person other than an agriculturist.”

The Goa Legislative Assembly passed the Bill on the last day of the recently concluded Budget Session. (Photo: Express)

Crucially, a provision in the Bill empowers the Collector to make exceptions and permit the transfer of agricultural land to non-agriculturist in certain circumstances — if the land is required for agriculture by an industrial or commercial undertaking; if the land is required by a co-operative farming society; and if the Collector is satisfied that the land is required for cultivation by a non-agriculturist who intends to take up agriculture and is capable of cultivating the land personally within three years, failing which the land will be vested in the government.

Why is the Bill being opposed?

Opposition parties contend that the provisions empowering Collectors to make exceptions would pave the way for large-scale diversion of agricultural land, encouraging industrialists from outside the state to purchase swathes of agricultural land in Goa. This would open the floodgates to a “farmhouse culture” in Goa, thereby altering the basic character of the coastal state. Opposition leaders termed it an “invitation for the real estate lobby to build farmhouses for the rich and famous.”

Leader of the opposition Yuri Alemao of the Congress, said, “The very fact that the Collector is given powers to transfer land to non-agriculturists like industrialists or commercial undertakings gives scope for blatant misuse of agricultural land. The need is to completely ban conversion of agricultural land. Now with building a farmhouse, agricultural land will get automatically transferred into commercial land. There won’t be farms but resorts under the guise of farmhouses.”

Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai of Goa Forward Party said, “In the Bill, the definition of agriculture is only limited to paddy fields, not to orchards, not to the dry crops. The Bill is being touted as a land reform meant to ensure that paddy cultivation remains with locals, but there is no definition or mention of a local or insider/outsider in it.”

“The objective should have been to bring in a contract farming law, coupled with a community farming scheme to incentivise farmers. The fine print is that the Collector will decide whether your purpose is genuine or not. The legislation will facilitate conversion of agricultural land through the back door and turn Goa into another Gurgaon or Chattarpur,” he added.

What are farmers saying?

Apart from opposition from politicians, a farmers’ body has also planned a state-wide agitation against the Bill, saying it revokes protections that ensured that agricultural land remained with local farmers and tenants.

Ramkrishna Jalmi, convener of Goa Kul Mundkar Association, said, “We fear that with the provisions in the Bill, agricultural land will lose the protections and will be converted for use by industrialists. We will petition the Governor against granting assent to the Bill.”