MAPUSA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that in the long-run and in the interest of the tourism industry, app-based cabs was the only way out to resolve the taxi conundrum in the State.
Sawant also said that the government had given full subsidy to install digital meters in Goan taxis but the operators cheat the tourists by not making use of the meters.
While 2,268 taxi operators had applied for the subsidy to install the meters, 1,295taxi operators had so far received the subsidy.
The government has released around Rs 1.32 crore by way of subsidy to install the digital meters.
The CM informed the House that the government is ready to disburse subsidy to the remaining taxi drivers in the State but the moot question was whether the operators will use the meters.
“We gave the subsidy so that taxi operators would use the meters. But they cover the meters without making use of them. I do not know who they are cheating “ the government or the court. But they are definitely cheating the tourists,” Sawant said.
The Chief Minister was responding to Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo who raised concern about the plight of Goan taxi operators in the advent of taxi-aggregators in the State.
Lobo said that the taxi owners have been sincerely doing business for the last 50 years and have been ambassadors of Goa.
“Getting aggregators has spoiled the market for our Goan taxi owners. App-based taxis exist only in metropolitan cities because of its high density population and will not click in Goa,” Lobo said.
The CM said if the tourism industry has to run then serious thought must be put on taxi business and suggested that app-based taxi was the right approach.
“App-based taxi is the solution for this issue. In the long run we won’t survive without app-based taxis and therefore app-based aggregators should come. I am concerned about the welfare of Goa taxi-owners as much as you. We will take everyone into confidence and start an app-based taxi,” he said.
Backing the local taxi operators, Benaulim MLA, Venzy Viegas said taxi drivers were not using meters because passengers don’t want meters.
He said the bills generated through the meters were faulty as the fare was on the higher side and further stressed the need to revise the rates fixed by the transport department.
He also suggested separate app-based rates for tourists and local residents who want to use cabs.
According to Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, if the taxi operators do not make use of meters then the government should issue fines to such operators.
“It clearly shows that your enforcement has failed. You should put a proper system in place,” Sardesai said.
Stating that 3,683 challans were issued as of today, the Chief Minister observed that issuing fines was not enough and the effort was to find an amicable solution for the future of the tourism industry.
