PANAJI
Amid the ongoing business dispute between GoaMiles and tourist taxi operators, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho indicated that the counter for GoaMiles at Manohar International Airport (MIA) will not be removed while claiming this cab aggregator is within the tax regime, generating Rs 8.5 crore for the government, unlike the tourist taxis.
Speaking during the Question Hour, the minister stated that the refusal of tourist taxi operators to join any app-based platform has resulted in a loss of Rs 500 crore to the government over the past five years.
“There are 1560 GoaMiles cabs operating, paying Rs 1.5 crore approx tax to the government. Since 2018, they are paying GST which has generated Rs 6.96 crore approx. On the other hand, tourist taxis neither pay tax nor are under the GST system. Their opposition to joining any app has led to a loss of Rs 500 crore to the government,” he said.
The minister further informed the Assembly that in other states, taxis are integrated with various app-based platforms, and several airports and railway stations in India have counters for cab aggregators.
“Today Goans are also using Goamiles cabs because these are affordable unlike the taxis,” Godinho said.
