Goa, Oct. 25 -- A single spell ing mistake has cost Goa three decades of partici patory planning. The word 'special' - written instead of 'spatial' - in the Goa Panchayat Raj Act de nied local bodies their constitutional role in land-use planning and development. After 30 long years, that costly error has fi nally been corrected. The Goa Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which restores the correct term 'spatial planning', was passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly in March and received the Governor's assent on October 22, 2025.

The amendment aligns the law with Article 243ZD of the Constitution, which mandates participatory planning through District Planning Committees. The Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), which had persistently campaigned ...