Pay Rs 1,000/sqm for extra floor area ratio, height beyond limit
The town and country planning department has issued an order notifying the levy of a fee of Rs 1,000 per sqm on all proposals seeking additional floor area ratio (FAR) and building height beyond the prescribed limits.
TCP minister Vishwajit Rane said the fee will be recovered in a retrospective manner from all projects where higher FAR was granted. He made the statement in the legislative assembly after AAP MLA Venzy Viegas highlighted the lapse.
'The law department raised a query and we have started collecting money retrospectively for the additional FAR that was granted earlier. As far as the state is concerned, there is no loss of revenue,' said Rane.
Viegas, while speaking on the cut motions for the TCP department, had accused the department of granting additional FAR without charging any fees. This prompted Rane to protest. 'If there is a loss of revenue, go and file an FIR claiming there has been a loss of revenue,' Rane said to Viegas.
The TCP department issued the order under Regulation 6.1.1(2) of the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010.
The order applies to all projects where technical clearances were granted along with FAR relaxations on a case-to-case basis. The department claimed that the additional FAR was granted after considering factors such as location, type of development, and intended use.
The additional fee for increased FAR will be applicable with retrospective effect from Aug 9, 2023, the date of commencement of the amended regulations. The fee shall be collected before issuing approvals granting the additional FAR or height relaxations.
Viegas had claimed that around 14.56 lakh sqm of built-up area was permitted by the TCP by granting additional FAR, which amounted to a revenue loss of Rs 2,900 crore for govt. Viegas had likened the lapse to a scam.
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