Citizens of Goa have collectively come together to create the People's Manifesto for Goa 2022. We are disappointed to see that no political party has been able to understand the needs, the vision and the legitimate rights of the land and people of Goa, for which we will struggle and succeed, with or without your contribution. We expect you to include each and every point raised here in your manifesto, and to respond by publicly stating your stand on each demand of the people.

PEOPLE MANIFESTO FOR GOA 2022

1. The people will be consulted on every issue, and their decisions will be honoured. Gram Sabha/Ward Sabha decisions regarding land use, planning, projects, socio-economic development, environment and governance will be binding on the government.

2. The government will serve the people only. Corporations and private profit shall not be allowed to influence policies, laws or decisions. All departments will function as ‘People’s Departments’.

3.  All authorities and the government shall be fully transparent. All applications, permissions, decisions, registers, meeting minutes etc shall be uploaded on websites immediately.

4.  Section 16B and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) amendments of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act shall be revoked. TCP Act will be amended to provide for Regional Plan to be prepared by citizens.

5. The 28/3/2018 Order of Secretary (TCP) bringing RP 2021 into force shall be revoked and the CTP order of 4f6/2012 shall be reinstated. The new Regional Plan 2031 for the entire State shall be prepared by the Gram Sabhas after proper data is provided by the departments. 

6. The Investment Promotion Act (IPB) shall be revoked.

7. Urbanization shall be banned and all Outline Development Plans (ODPs) shall be scrapped.

8.  CRZ Notification 2019 shall be revoked and CZMPS made by villagers shall be fully adopted.

9. Proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act shall be dropped and the Act strengthened.

10. Major Ports Authority Act, 2021 shall be revoked and MPT’s control over Goa’s rivers and coasts shall be identified. 

11. All of Goa’s rivers shall be removed from the Schedule of the National Waterways Act, 2016.

12. MPT shall evolve to be a green port. Coal transportation through Goa shall be completely stopped. Double tracking of SWR shall be canceled. Steel plants will be banned in Goa.

13. Goa will achieve its target of 358 MW of solar power by installing solar panels on rooftops of citizens so that they can get free electricity. The new transmission line project shall be canceled.

14. Construction of new National and State highways and widening of existing highways such as NH-17 (NH-66), NH-4A and NH-I7B shall be stopped immediately and lands restored.

15. Only individual houses for the economically disadvantaged shall be allowed to be constructed. Multi-housing projects, sub-division of plots on agricultural lands and gated communities shall be banned.

16. Schools and medical facilities shall be constructed in every village. Construction of projects like Mopa Airport, IT City, IIT and other large institutions shall be banned and stopped and lands returned to people.

17. Tourism activities shall be restricted strictly to local communities. 5-star and large hotels, marinas, casinos and other profit-seeking tourism ventures will be completely prohibited.

18. Mining of iron ore, bauxite, manganese and basalt shall be totally prohibited for 10 years.

19. Production for the needs of the people shall be done locally on a small scale using local skills, labour and material, as far as possible. Industrial estates and large industries shall be prohibited.

20. The government will immediately demarcate all the forests in the State of Goa as per Forest Survey India criteria. No forest diversion will be allowed under any circumstances for the next 10 years.

21. All forests will belong to local communities. Traditional rights of local communities over their forests will be ensured under the Forest Rights Act for the entire State.

22. Tree-felling shall be permitted only for the management of orchards/ forests, or for the safety of people, and will not be allowed for corporate or private profit.

23. Rivers shall be used for traditional fishing and other traditional activities, transportation of commuters and small-scale tourism. Sand mining, industrial fishing, marinas, casinos and commodity shipping will totally be banned in the rivers. 

24. Bull trawling and LED fishing shall be prohibited, while trawler fishing shall be regulated.

25. Local communities shall be paid to maintain and restore bandhs, naIIahs, retention walls, etc with local material only and the use of cement and concrete shall be strictly banned for such constructions.

26. Agricultural tenancy, mundkarial rights and the rights of the indigenous people over forest and revenue lands shall be immediately recognized based on the ground reality and local inquiry. 

27. Communidades will be reorganized with decision-making powers distributed to all local residents, including women, the elderly and children. Communidade lands will be strictly inalienable.

28.  Hills, forests, plateaus, fields, rivers and water bodies destroyed by mining, shipping, real estate, infrastructure and industries shall be restored using funds recovered from those responsible.

29. Every plateau and part of plateaus shall be strictly protected from any change in land use. No extraction of water or construction of roads or structures shall be permitted on plateaus.

30. All coastal sand dunes, Iow-Iying paddy fields, nallahs, ponds, 'gayre' drains, creeks, flood retention/prevention areas etc will be protected strictly and restored.

31. Critical coastal areas shall be identified, studied & documented to prepare and take precautionary measures for the climate crisis.

32.  Financial and environmental debts accumulated by the corporate-banking-government nexus shall be assigned to every guilty political party and Goa shall be given to our children free from debts

33.  Employment, education, health and all other services shall be made available within every Panchayat Area. Community-based agriculture, forestry, fisheries, animal husbandry, crafts, and cottage production shall be encouraged and subsidized, especially labour. Youth and students shall be trained to match the employment opportunities in community, government and private sectors.

34.  Reversal of the massive migration out of Goa shall be ensured by complementing the policies and laws with specific steps to welcome the emigrants back.

35.  Price of essential items including food, fuel, education and health shall be controlled, while agricultural land and small producers shall be supported with subsidies and Minimum Support Prices.

Please give your endorsement to the People's Manifesto by signing this petition!