from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Aug 29: The state legislative assembly discussed a gross under valuation of land and properties sold to the foreigners in the state, cheating the state exchequer on Friday August 29.

The leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar, during the question hour, pointed out that besides Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation, the lands and properties sold to foreigners are grossly under valued in connivance with the state sub registrar offices.

"Besides FEMA violation each sub-registrar is also considering under valuation to a very high extend mostly in case of the properties below 20 lac sq metres," Parrikar alleged.

The leader of opposition stated that the properties, mostly in the prime localities, are being under valued.

Responding to the allegation, chief minister Digamber Kamat said that in October 2006, the state government issued some guidelines to sub-registrars and after that such things have come to the halt.

"Subsequently the house also passed the legislation that has also gone to the accent of the President," Kamat said.

The chief minister during the discussion said that he will ask to probe the undervaluation all such cases.

Speaker Pratapsingh Rane pointed out that there is gazette notification on land prices which can be considering while fixing the prices.

Earlier talking about the FEMA violations by foreigners and persons of Indian origin (PIO), the chief minister said that between 1997 to 2001, 586 deals were registered of which 313 had prima facie contravention.

"These cases are referred to directorate of enforcement," he said. 

The issue of foreigners purchasing property in the state had figured earlier in the state assembly forcing the state administration to crack down on the FEMA violations. 

The last session of the assembly had also passed a legislation giving more teeth to the state government to deal with the FEMA violations.