Panaji: Goa's Non Resident Indian (NRI) Commissionerate claimed that state government enacting law to give protection to the properties of the NRIs was a big success.
"I am thankful to the state government which has enacted the Goa Building (Lease, Rent and Eviction) control (Amendment) Act," State NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro said on Friday.
Faleiro said that the Act has been in force since last month in the state. Under this Act, the NRIs will now be able to recover possession of their rented premises through a summary procedure when the premises are bonafide required by them for their own occupation or for occupation of any member of their family, he said.
Faleiro, former union minister of state for external affairs, said that Goa law is a replica of Punjab legislation. "A few years ago, I visited Punjab and met then chief minister (Amarinder Singh) who brought to my notice the East Punjab Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act," he stated.
The Act was implemented there and which enabled NRIs to recover possession of their rented premises through summary trials, Faleiro added.
The NRI commissioner said that the Punjab Act was challenged in the Supreme Court on the grounds that it provided an unfair advantage to NRIs over the local residents but the apex court upheld its validity by judgement of October 2005.
He said that Goa Act will give protection to hundreds of houses which are left behind by NRIs.