Panaji, Goa – Goa Simplifies House Number Bifurcation In a significant move set to enhance ease of living for numerous families across the state, the Goa government has streamlined the process for bifurcating house numbers. This much-awaited directive, issued by the Directorate of Panchayats, will allow separate families residing within the same house to obtain distinct house numbers, paving the way for independent access to essential services like water and electricity connections.
Why Goa Simplifies House Number Bifurcation Matters: Addressing Long-Standing Challenges
Previously, families living together under one roof, often due to the natural expansion of original households, faced considerable hurdles. The absence of clear provisions in the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 regarding house number bifurcation led to inconsistent practices among panchayats. While some panchayats would process such requests with minimal documentation, others hesitated or outright refused, citing a lack of specific rules.
Moreover, some panchayats even demanded title documents proving ownership of a specific portion of the house – a requirement that caused immense hardship and prevented many families from securing basic amenities in their own names. This often led to disputes and inconvenience, particularly for nuclear families that had evolved within larger joint households but maintained separate living arrangements, such as individual kitchens.
Ease of Living and Increased Happiness: CM Sawant’s Vision
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant emphasized that this simplification is a direct response to the difficulties families faced in obtaining official partition certificates for their homes. “To get them an official partition certificate, we issued a circular today,” CM Sawant stated. He highlighted that this decision will not only resolve internal family disputes but also contribute to an increase in the state’s “happiness index” and boost revenue for panchayats through improved tax collection.
The Chief Minister also confirmed that similar bifurcation certification will be extended to municipal areas, ensuring a wider reach of this beneficial policy. The implementation of this new circular is set to commence on Monday, providing immediate relief to countless families.
How the New Process Works: Simple, Swift, and Fiscal
The newly simplified process focuses on granting a separate identity to a portion of an existing house for taxation purposes only. It explicitly states that the issuance of a bifurcated house number does not confer any title or ownership to the applicant over the property. This clarifies the fiscal nature of the initiative, ensuring it solely serves administrative and taxation objectives.
Under the new directive:
- No Plot Partition Required: House number bifurcation can now be obtained without the need to physically partition the plot itself.
- Speedy Processing: Applications will be disposed of within a strict 15-day period from the date of receipt.
- NOC for Utilities: Along with the bifurcated house number, panchayats will also issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for water and electricity connections in the name of the new assesses, if requested.
- Standardized Suffixes: The bifurcated house numbers will retain the original house number followed by a suffix (e.g., ‘A’, ‘B’, etc.), ensuring clear identification.
- Panchayat Fees: Panchayats will levy fees for these services as per prescribed procedures.
As Director of Panchayats, Siddi Halarnkar, aptly put it, this move aims “to create ease of living for such nuclear families by obtaining a bifurcation house number for the existing dwelling house, in case the applicant desires so.” This progressive step by the Goa government is a testament to its commitment to improving the lives of its citizens by simplifying bureaucratic processes and ensuring access to essential amenities.
