PANAJI: The state government plans to establish one housing project in each taluka for residents who cannot afford homes or are currently homeless. This initiative will be carried out through the Goa Housing Board (GHB).
According to GHB Chairman Jit Arolkar, the first project will be located in Pernem, featuring 100 one-bedroom flats. Arolkar stated that only residents of Pernem will qualify for long-term lease allocations.
Arolkar further emphasized that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant desires similar projects in all talukas, highlighting that the flats will be made available to citizens under the Chief Minister Awas Yojana. The GHB is currently finalizing eligibility criteria. Initially, the plan was to sell the flats, but the government opted for a long-term lease of 100 years to prevent misuse of allocations.
Arolkar expressed concerns about potential proxy candidates purchasing flats for resale or rental. “If an allottee becomes financially stable enough to buy their own property, they should vacate the unit for reallocation to another deserving individual,” he stated.
The Pernem project is nearing its final stage, with plans to lay the foundation stone by year’s end. “GHB owns land in several talukas, and where no land is available, it will acquire space from the revenue department or comunidades,” he added.
During the recent monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Sawant announced a new housing initiative for the homeless, modeled after the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana but tailored for Goa. Two government land parcels in Pernem have been earmarked for this project, which will include the construction of one-bedroom flats.
