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The government of Goa has initiated a significant reform to enhance the efficiency of property registration. On Wednesday, the state cabinet approved the launch of an "anywhere registration" system, which allows individuals to register sale deeds and other property documents at any sub-registrar office within their district, rather than being confined to a specific location. This change aims to minimize delays in appointments, enhance public services, and streamline property transactions for both local residents and Goans living outside the state.

This initiative will be executed through the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS), which is already in use at all civil registrar-cum-sub-registrar offices in Goa. These offices handle a large volume of property-related documents for approval, registration, and execution, often resulting in long wait times for applicants.

To address these challenges, the Registration Department, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in Goa, presented the proposed system to the cabinet. Following the demonstration, the government greenlit its implementation.

To support this transition, the state will issue two notifications to amend the Registration Act, permitting deeds to be registered at any sub-registrar office within the revenue jurisdiction of the respective district.

Goa currently operates 12 sub-registrar offices across its two districts. The northern district includes offices in Pernem, Bicholim, Valpoi, Bardez, and Tiswadi, while the southern district has offices in Mormugao, Margao, Ponda, Kushavati, Sanguem, Quepem, and Canacona. A senior government official noted that the new system will enable applicants to upload documents online and assess the pending workload at various sub-registrar offices before choosing where to finalize their registration. This feature is anticipated to balance the workload more effectively across the offices while providing applicants with greater flexibility.

The upgraded system is expected to significantly decrease waiting times for appointments. Instead of the current wait of 10 to 15 days, applicants should be able to complete the registration process in just a few days, thereby making property transactions more efficient. This initiative is also likely to assist Goans living abroad or in other parts of India who need to handle property-related documents without enduring lengthy procedural delays.