Panaji: Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said that only a minuscule amount of land had been converted to settlement during his four-and-a-half-year tenure, while crores of square metres of land had been declared as No Development Zone (NDZ).
“In the last four-and-a-half years, only 0.296 per cent of the land has been converted to settlement from non-settlement areas,” Rane said, rejecting opposition claims that the state government has been converting land indiscriminately.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Rane said the figures reflected the government’s efforts to preserve greenery in the state.
“In the last four-and-a-half years, 14 lakh square metres of land has been converted, while 20 crore square metres of land has been declared as No Development Zone,” he said.
The minister said the state government has ensured that no development takes place in low-lying areas, salt pans, paddy fields, and other ecologically sensitive zones.
Rane accused opposition parties of defaming the state government through what he described as false claims.
The minister said the BJP-led state government and Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant have been working in the areas of healthcare, youth welfare, women’s welfare, and overall development.
He said opposition parties were making such statements to gain votes ahead of the upcoming elections.
