Goa begins to mutate 122 properties owned by Pak nationals

Goa government has listed 122 properties owned by Pakistani nationals in the state and taken over their management while proposing to collect rent from their occupiers.
The list, submitted to Union Ministry of Home affairs by the state administration, has located 122 properties, categorised as 'enemy property', whose owners have Pakistani citizenship.
A senior official said majority of these properties - 112 out of 122 - are in North district of Goa.
"The mutation process has been completed recognising them as enemy properties. The government has taken over their management," the official said.
Although these properties are in the name of Pakistani nationals, they were originally of Goans, who migrated to the neighbouring nation before the state's liberation in 1961 and accepted the citizenship there, a district administration official said.

The Union government, in its exercise to search for 'enemy properties' across India, had also asked Goa government to conduct a survey detailing information of such properties.

"It was difficult to get all the information as in many cases the Pakistani nationals have expired and even legal heirs are not available," he said, adding "this is particularly so in the case of properties where third parties are staying."
As per the government list, these properties are located in Goan villages like Anjuna, Assagao, Nagoa, Penha-de-France, Colvale, Pirna, Reis Magos and others.
"They are not huge properties but measuring 500-700 square metre," the official said.

While most of the properties have constructions done in the premises, there are a few which have farms, an official, who was a part of the survey, said.
The government has now proposed to charge 20 per cent of the market value as rent from the occupiers.
"The proposal to collect the rent has been sent to the authorities. They will have to give the nod," he added.