The Goa state government on Thursday regularised 300 illegal houses constructed on government land, comunidade land, and land owned by individuals under the Majhe Ghar scheme. The government urged those who have not yet applied under the scheme to come forward and regularise their houses.
Chief Minister's Statement
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that over 10,000 applications are pending before the department, and sanads (title deeds) will be issued to eligible house owners as soon as possible. He emphasised that the issuance of sanads to 300 house owners should encourage others with apprehensions to apply for regularisation.
Background of the Scheme
In October 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Majhe Ghar scheme to regularise over 50,000 illegal structures on government land, comunidade land, and private land. A function was held in Margao on Thursday to hand over sanads to beneficiaries.
Sawant noted that even people who purchased houses through the Goa Housing Board were never given sanads. He highlighted that many residents have spent over Rs 15 lakh on constructing their homes, and demolition would leave them homeless. The government is legalising houses constructed before 1972.
Request to Comunidades
The Chief Minister requested comunidades to issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) to facilitate regularisation. The government will collect the land rate prevalent at the time of construction from house owners and deposit it with the comunidade.
Sawant stated that the scheme aims to resolve a problem faced by Goans for the last 60 years, with the intention to regularise houses across the state.
Legal Framework
Regarding houses on encroached comunidade land, the state government, through the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 (Amendment) Bill, 2025, inserted an article allowing regularisation of dwelling houses built on comunidade land before February 28, 2014, by landless individuals.
The Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction (Amendment) Bill, 2025, opens a new two-year window for applicants who missed previous deadlines or faced rejection. Consent from co-owners is no longer required, and area limits have increased to 600 square metres in rural areas and 1,000 square metres in urban areas.
Process and Restrictions
The deputy collector will consider and dispose of any objections or suggestions within 30 days from the expiry of the notice period to regularise houses on government land. Beneficiaries of regularisation on government land cannot sell or transfer the land, or any portion of it, until 20 years have passed from the date of regularisation. Even after 20 years, any transfer shall be subject to government decision.
