Finance Minister Dayanand Narvekar has asserted that agricultural land in the State too shall be protected on the lines of ban on sale of land to foreigners. Agricultural land, he said, will be allowed to be sold only for agricultural purpose and not to persons other than agriculturists. This, he said, will also prevent non residents from buying agricultural land. The minister was speaking as the Chief Guest at a largely attended meeting organised by the local Mahila Mandal at Socorro panchayat hall on Saturday as part of Women's Day celebrations. He further said that unless the government frames certain rules it would be very difficult to keep a check on such land deals which concerns the identity of the State. Narvekar highlighted the government schemes meant for women specially the ones pertaining to the self help groups and urged the women in the area to form and register their groups in their localities so that they can avail financial benefits under the "Asro' and other related schemes. The minister said that women are capable of transforming the society. He said several local women from Aldona area have been doing social service in the area. This, he said is a positive and encouraging step towards progress. He lauded their work in this direction and assured support. Chairperson of Goa State Women's Commission, Dr (Ms) Pramod Salgaonkar; president of Mahila Congress, Monica Dias; president of Ganesh Gurukul, Sushma Narvekar; local Zilla panchayat mem-ber, Gupesh Naik; sarpanch Shital Arolkar and others spoke on the occasion. Women activist and social workers so also the women from the locality who have worked with dedication in their respective fields of work were felicitated and presented with achievement awards on the occasion at the hands of the dignitaries.