PANAJI
The budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly opens Friday with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant slated to present the State budget for 2026 27, the last of this term before the elections expected in March next year.
But although the treasury benches dominate the House in numbers, the Opposition’s aggressive campaign against Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act is expected to set the narrative.
Recent street protests have already built momentum which could carry the fight into the House with section 39A having become the lightning rod.
The clause gives sweeping powers to the TCP to alter land use and building permissions. Opposition which had been building up across the State climaxed with the agitation launched by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar swelling into a State-level crisis forcing the government to concede ground.
As damage-control, the government has now appointed a three-member committee of bureaucrats led by Revenue Secretary, Sandip Jacques, IAS, to probe and submit a report on lapses which led to the escalation of the stir into a "unlawful protest" at the residence of TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane.
The Opposition had seized the issue holding rallies and giving legs to the in recent weeks, and the Assembly session is now its next battleground.
Inside the House, fireworks are expected with the Opposition benches expected to punch way above the weight of their seven-member strength to press for the withdrawal of Section 39A.
Leaders said, they plan to corner the government on transparency, accountability, and the alleged nexus with developers.
The ruling side is likely to defend the clause as reform, but the clash could overshadow the budget in an election year where routine allocations for infrastructure, health, education, and tourism may struggle to find space in the headlines.
For Sawant, the challenge is twofold: He must present a populist budget that also signals stability and growth while at the same time, he must defend a law that has triggered an agitation which is gaining traction on Goa’s streets.
For the Opposition, the strategy is clear: keep Section 39A at the centre, and make it the symbol of government excess.
The budget may be tabled on Friday but the battle over Section 39A is expected to decide the tone -- in the House and beyond.
