Goa Govt Seeks Help from Centre for Housing

To meet the needs for housing in Goa, Jayesh Salgaonkar, minister for rural development and housing, requested the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to consider a special scheme in Goa. Salgaonkar, pointed out that shortage of government land and high standard of living were affecting the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). Unwillingness to donate land and the extended land acquisition process was delaying the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, he said. Salgaonkar told Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, in New Delhi that, some of the bottlenecks are affecting the smooth execution of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and some include ownership of lands, objections and rejections by local authorities of the beneficiaries and requirement of a fresh socio-economic caste census. Salgaonkar suggested that the Union ministry could consider a special scheme to meet the need for affordable housing in Goa, a note issued by the government said. It said that Goan villages are semi-urban and there is a need for roads in some areas of Goan villages but some landowners are unwilling to the give lands.