PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday distributed ownership rights certificates (sanads) to more than a thousand beneficiaries under the Mhaje Ghar scheme, asserting that his government is fully prepared to defend the initiative in the courts.
Speaking at the function held at the Institute Menezes Braganza in Panaji, Sawant said the government’s legal team is strong and ready to fight the case effectively.
“We will defend Mhaje Ghar in court, no matter who has challenged it,” he told reporters. He added that details of those behind the litigation would be revealed at the appropriate time.
The Mhaje Ghar scheme, launched to provide rightful recognition and occupancy rights to Goan families on government and comunidade land, has faced legal hurdles since its inception.
Sawant described it as a landmark initiative aimed at resolving long‘pending housing concerns with transparency and compassion. “This scheme ensures simplified pathways for regularisation. It is about giving genuine Goan families the dignity of ownership,” he said.
The distribution of sanads marks a significant milestone and officials said the certificates grant beneficiaries legal recognition of their homes, ending years of uncertainty.
Sawant emphasised that the government remains committed to protecting the interests of Goans. “We are not just regularising houses. We are securing futures,” he said.
The event drew large participation from beneficiaries, many of whom expressed relief at finally receiving ownership rights. For several families, the sanad represents protection against eviction.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the scheme was designed with compassion. “Housing is a basic need. Mhaje Ghar is our answer to decades of waiting,” he said.
While the legal challenge looms, Sawant said: “We will fight this case with full strength. The people of Goa deserve this recognition.”
The Mhaje Ghar scheme continues to be one of the flagship programmes of the Sawant government, promising to reshape housing security for thousands across the State.
The scheme, however, has been strongly opposed by several comunidades in the State, many of whom argue that the land is not the State's to be doled out to illegal squatters on their land.
