Panaji: The state cabinet on Friday approved an amendment to the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 to extend the time period for filing applications to regularise houses on comunidade land from six months to 18 months.The cabinet also approved the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 dated April 15, 1961, Amendment) Bill, 2026, for introduction in the monsoon session of the Goa assembly.The cabinet said that recognising the humanitarian need for regularisation of genuine long-term occupants and the necessity of reclaiming excess encroached comunidade land, govt introduced a legal framework to address the issue in a balanced manner.The bill said that the objective for providing a one-time measure for regularization of encroachment made on comunidade land, by constructing a dwelling house by a landless person prior to Feb 28, 2014. The provision was enacted to address the long-standing concerns of such occupants who have been residing in Goa for a considerable period and whose dwelling houses constitute their only place of residence.“While the said provision safeguards the ownership rights of the comunidade by ensuring that the benefits of regularisation is confined to the extent specified under the law, the comunidade is compensated adequately and the excess land occupied by such occupants is reverted to comunidade,” the bill said. “The period prescribed for submission of application under said article was six months. However, it has been observed that a significant number of eligible persons could not apply within the stipulated time period due to various constraints.”The bill, therefore, seeks to amend the article to extend the existing time period of six months for filing applications to 18 months and accordingly amend the article.The bill also seeks to repeal the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 dated April 15, 1961 (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, promulgated by the governor of Goa on Aug 10, 2026.The cabinet said that it was brought to the notice of the govt that since the revenue authorities especially the collectors, additional collectors, deputy collectors, mamlatdars and talathis were engaged with special intensive revision work and electoral roll, many of the applicants found it difficult to obtain residence certificates and consent letters to apply within time limit.The cabinet said considering that the amendment sought to achieve a large public objective by extending the benefit of regularisation to a wide section of the population who are landless and are residing in dwelling houses constructed on comunidade land, it was necessary to ensure that adequate time was made available to eligible occupants to submit their applications and avail the benefit of the scheme.
