Tag: Goa

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Mormugao Seals Two Banks Over Rent Defaults

VASCO: On Thursday, the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) sealed the branches of a public sector bank and a private bank due to unpaid rent. “The private bank branch in town and the public sector bank branch at Mangor Hill were sealed for failing to meet their rent obligations,” stated MMC chairperson Girish Borkar to TOI. The private bank owed Rs 6 lakh, while the PSU bank had an outstanding amount of Rs 3 lakh. This recovery effort was led by MMC chief officer Siddhivinayak Naik, in collaboration with municipal engineers and inspectors. “MMC is committed to taking strict measures against…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Seizes 500K+ Sq M of Property in North Goa’s Key Areas

PANAJI: On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Panaji provisionally attached 19 properties covering over five lakh square meters in prime locations across Goa, including Anjuna, Assagao, and Ucassaim. The properties, valued at Rs 1,268.6 crore, were seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, amid an ongoing investigation into alleged land grab activities in the state. “The properties were unlawfully obtained by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar through the use of forged land title documents, such as ‘aforamento’/allotment certificates, final possession certificates, demarcation certificates, historical sale deeds, gift deeds, and other falsified records,” the ED stated.…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Bombay HC: PILs on Bhutani project in Sancoale unfounded

PANAJI: The Bombay High Court has dismissed public interest litigations (PILs) questioning the permissions for Bhutani’s Acqua Eden project in Sancoale. The judges, Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita P Mehta, ruled that the technical objections raised were “unfounded and not substantiated by any concrete material.” While the court acknowledged the PILs were entertained in the interest of the public, it found no merit in the objections against the project. The court observed there were no discrepancies in the slope level computations and noted that the Secretary of the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority verified the use of advanced systems for…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa CZMA: CRZ Structures Must Be Contained for Mundkar Houses

Representative AI image PANAJI: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has mandated the demolition of a house that was illegally expanded in the no-development zone along the Sal river in Velim. The authority referenced the CRZ Notification of 1991, highlighting its ‘doctrine of containment,’ which allows for toleration of existing structures but prohibits any extension beyond their original dimensions. The GCZMA noted that the original structure, a mundkarial house, was no longer intact, having been entirely rebuilt with extensions both horizontally and vertically. They asserted that, due to these modifications, the authority deemed the structure in violation of regulations…

IndustryLatest Stories

Goa to Profit from Sale of Comunidade, Housing Board Land

Representative AI image PANAJI: In response to revenue losses from the sale of plots by comunidades and the Goa Housing Board (GHB), the state government has mandated that comunidades execute conveyance deeds at 50% below the minimum land rates and collect stamp duty based on GHB-determined rates. According to under secretary (revenue-I) Vrushika Kauthankar, “For comunidade land, the minimum land values for areas up to 400sqm in S1 to S4 zones will see a 50% reduction.” Revenue Minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate stated that comunidades collect ‘foro’ for plots allotted to beneficiaries over 20 years, generating no revenue for the government.…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa ODPs Land to Receive Zoning Certificates from TCP

Representative AI image PANAJI: In a move that will ease concerns for those who transformed their land under outline development plans (ODPs), the town and country planning (TCP) department has resolved to issue zoning certificates for parcels designated as settlements in the Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra ODPs, provided they are categorized as settlements in the Regional Plan 2021. In July 2025, the Supreme Court did not grant the TCP department’s request for a stay on a high court ruling regarding the ODPs for Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra. The high court had nullified the government’s ODPs for five villages in June, mandating adherence…

IndustryLatest Stories

Alta Capital Invests $100M in Isprava’s Luxury Homes

Representative AI image The Isprava Group, a key player in Goa’s luxury real estate market, is nearing a significant Rs 850-crore ($100 million) investment from Alta Capital, marking the largest fundraising effort in the company’s nine-year history, according to sources familiar with the deal. This investment, encompassing both primary and secondary shares, aims to facilitate the company’s expansion in coveted vacation spots like Goa, Alibaug, Karjat, and Kasauli. It will also enable Isprava to introduce international offerings for its affluent clientele and provide exits to some previous high-net-worth investors. Once finalized in the coming weeks, Alta Capital will ascend to…

IndustryLatest Stories

Register Sale Deeds at Any Taluka Office Soon: Goa CM

PANAJI: Citizens will soon have the option to register their sale deeds at any of the 12 sub-registrar offices across the state. This move, as announced by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, aims to eliminate the restriction of registering land only in the region where it is located. Sawant further stated that the processes for marriage and land registrations will be streamlined in the next 10 days based on directives given to officials. “Today, I convened a meeting with registrars, sub-registrars, and directors as law minister. We discussed various issues related to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Info Tech…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

TCP to Notify on Plans Over 20,000 sq meters: Goa-SEIAA

Representative Image PANAJI: The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA) has mandated that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department and the planning and development authorities of North and South Goa must notify the Goa-SEIAA after approving any building plan with a built-up area exceeding 20,000 sqm. This measure aims to facilitate the verification of necessary environmental clearances, as discussed in a recent meeting. The Goa-SEIAA has also stipulated that it must inform the TCP department and the relevant PDA upon the approval of any project exceeding 20,000 sqm in built-up area. This issue came to light during an…

IndustryLatest Stories

South Goa Collector Enforces Tenant Verification Rules

Representative AI image MARGAO: The district magistrate of South Goa, Egna Cleetus, has issued an order mandating that all landlords, hotels, and accommodation providers verify the identities of their tenants and report these details to local police. This order, which takes effect on November 5, is in accordance with section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It requires verification via government-issued IDs such as Aadhaar cards, passports, and driving licenses, and applies to all types of accommodation including residential properties, hotels, guesthouses, beach shacks, and paying guest facilities throughout the South Goa district. In addition, nationalized banks are…