Goa has cleared the transfer of 96,512 square metres of government land at Parcem in Pernem to the Goa Housing Board for the state’s first affordable housing complex linked to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), marking the first concrete land allocation under the state’s planned housing programme.
The Housing Board had identified the government-owned parcel and requested its transfer for the project. The proposal was examined by the revenue department under the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968, after a report from the North Goa collector. The collector found that the land was freehold government property with cashew and other plantations.
Before approving the transfer, the government sought details of the proposed development, including the project plan and the intended use of the land. The reported approval now places the Parcem site with the Housing Board for development as an affordable housing complex aligned with PMAY.
The Goa Housing Board’s managing director said the government intends to develop affordable housing complexes in every taluka of the state in line with PMAY. The proposal therefore extends beyond the Parcem project and could create a state-wide framework for publicly supported housing, although the report does not specify the number of homes, construction cost, beneficiary criteria or completion timeline for the first complex.
The Board has also granted administrative approval for acquiring land and appointed a consultant to formulate an affordable housing policy for development and implementation across Goa. Following an invitation for quotations, CBRE South Asia Pvt Ltd was appointed for the assignment.
Land availability is expected to be a central implementation issue. The Housing Board’s managing director said land acquisition could become a hurdle to taking the programme to every taluka. In response, the Board has explored the possibility of using land held by the government, the revenue department and communidades for future affordable housing projects.
The Parcem decision thus combines a specific land transfer with a broader administrative effort to create a housing policy for the state. The next stages will involve detailing the project plan for the site and establishing the policy and land-acquisition framework for affordable housing developments in other talukas.