Goa Housing Minister assures probe into land scam

Panaji, Aug 21 (UNI) Goa Housing Minister Francisco Xavier (Mickey) Pacheco today assured the state legislative assembly that he would order a probe into the alleged scam in sale of land at Reis Mogos by the Housing Board below market value and in violation of the Conservation of Forest Act.

Replying to a query by the BJP opposition during the question hour, the minister said he would initiate suitable steps to enquire into the allegations.

Quoting the report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, presented by the chief minister to the House recently, the opposition leader Manohar Parrikar said the officials of the House Board resorted to a big scam by selling the land at a throwaway price of Rs 450 per square metre as against the market price of Rs 1,500 causing loss of revenue to the exchequer.

The CAG, he said, had also found that the land was disposed in violation of the forest conservation act and asked the minister to fix the responsibility on the guilty officials.

Speaker Pratapsingh Rane also directed the minister to take appropriate steps on the issue.

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