In a significant move, the Goa State Cabinet has granted approval to remove the controversial Section 16B from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act.

The decision to omit this section, introduced in 2018, has far-reaching implications for around 7,000 applications that received final or provisional approvals for zone changes under the Act.

The contentious Section 16B, introduced by former Minister Vijai Sardesai, has been a subject of legal dispute, with the matter pending in the High Court. The government plans to replace it with a new provision for altering or modifying the Regional Plan and/or the Outline Development Plan, ensuring public participation and excluding eco-sensitive lands.