Latest news with #GoaStateAmritkalAgriculturePolicy
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Can't convert irrigation areas for non-farm use, want report: Goa agriculture minister Ravi Naik
Panaji: A day after TOI reported that the state ignored its agricultural policy and handed over 3.3 lakh sqm of irrigation land at Dhargalim to a casino firm, agriculture minister Ravi Naik said on Friday that areas under the command of major, medium, and minor irrigation projects are to be banned from being converted for . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He also sought a detailed report from the agriculture secretary. Naik questioned whether the Tillari Irrigation Command Area Authority granted its clearance for the conversion of the land in question. Referring to TOI 's report, Naik, who was not present at the cabinet meeting that took the decision, in a note moved to the agriculture secretary, said that on Feb 6, 2025, the state cabinet approved the , 2025. 'In terms of the policy, areas under the commands of major, medium, and minor irrigation projects are to be banned from being converted for non-agricultural use,' Naik said. 'The Times of India, in its daily newspaper, has reported a news article under the heading, 'State ignores its agri policy, hands over 3.3L sqm irrigation land to casino firm',' Naik's note said. 'Tremendous efforts need to be taken to transform our small state into a self-sufficient state in the agriculture sector. As such, the news article should be examined, and a detailed report should be placed for the perusal of govt,' Naik said. 'Moreover, it may be specified whether at any point in time, comments/clearance/NOC of the directorate of agriculture have been obtained whilst conversion of the land mentioned in the news article. Also, whether the Tillari Irrigation Command Area Authority granted its clearance for the conversion of the said land.' 'The zonal agriculture office concerned, or the official of the directorate of agriculture should inspect the said area and place on record the type of land specified in the news article. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now More particularly, whether the land is agricultural land specified under the Goa Restrictions on Transfer of Agricultural Land Act, 2023,' Naik said. Two months after govt's much-avowed Goa State Amritkal Agriculture Policy, 2025 was introduced to revitalise farming and make the state self-sufficient, chief minister Pramod Sawant-led govt on Wednesday denotified 3.3 lakh sqm of the Tillari command area at Dhargalim to pave the way for Delta Corp Ltd, a casino gaming company, to set up an integrated resort. The project, which will come up at the command area of the Tillari irrigation project, comprises three hotels, a convention centre, a multiplex, a retail area, a water park, banquet facilities, and a children's entertainment area, among other amenities.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State ignores its agri policy, hands over 3.3L sqm irrigation land to casino firm
Panaji: Two months after govt's much avowed Goa State Amritkal Agriculture Policy, 2025 was introduced to revitalise farming and make the state self-sufficient, chief minister Pramod Sawant-led govt with a stroke of a pen on Wednesday denotified 3.3 lakh sqm of the Tillari command area at Dhargalim to pave the way for Delta Corp Ltd , a casino gaming company, to set up an integrated integrated resort project that will come up at the command area of the Tillari irrigation project comprises three hotels, a convention centre, a multiplex, a retail area, a water park, banquet facilities and a children's entertainment area, among addition to handing over the land that could be irrigated, state govt also waived off Rs 5.5 crore sought by the water resource department, terming it as 'notional'.The proposal to denotify 3.3 lakh sqm of the notified command area was moved by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (Goa IPB).The Tillari irrigation project is an interstate project taken up at a cost of Rs 1,465 crore to irrigate a command area of 14,521Ha in Goa. The dam is located in Maharashtra, and the canals are constructed in Maharashtra and from the dam is supplied for irrigation and drinking purposes through two canals, namely the Left Bank Main Canal (LBMC) and the Right Bank Main Canal (RBMC).The LBMC supplies water to an area of 10,267Ha, which is spread across the talukas of Bicholim and Bardez, while the RBMC irrigates an area of 4,254Ha, which is spread across Pernem has notified 14,521Ha of land under the command area development and water resources management programme of the Tillari irrigation project, under Section 17 of the Goa Command Area Development Act, 1997, and Rules 2022, the state cabinet resolved to declare 3.8 lakh sqm in Pernem as an investment for Delta Corp without consulting the WRD or seeking inputs from April 17, 2023, the Goa IPB issued a conversion sanad for 3.3 lakh sqm, while 40,000sqm was excluded from the conversion sanad. Fees amounting to Rs 28 crore were paid by Delta less than a month, on May 9, 2023, Goa IPB cleared the proposal from Delta Corp seeking it as an investment promotion area for setting up an integrated resort development .On Feb 9, 2024, the Goa IPB issued a licence to Delta Corp for setting up the integrated resort development with a construction fee of over Rs 10 crore for a final area of 3.3lakh sqm. It also submitted a proposal to the WRD to denotify the land conversion of land was done under the Goa Land Revenue Code and also granted technical clearance under the town and country planning (TCP) regulations. This was permitted only upon the applicant paying an amount of Rs 28 crore towards the conversion fees.'Therefore, there is no loss as such to the WRD of Rs 5.5 crore for which they sought a waiver, as the applicant company compensated govt towards the change of user by more than five times the amount spent by govt,' the cabinet said.
