MARGAO
When will the SGPDA set in motion the process for the tendering of the wholesale fish market collection fees and whether the PDA will appoint a contractor to collect the fees before the start of the new fishing season on August 1.
Well, tendering of the wholesale fish market tender has been delayed under one pretext or the other over the last two years, resulting in loss of revenue for the PDA. If one goes by the tender documents, the PDA was anticipating monthly revenue of around Rs 33 lakh when the current revenue stands around Rs 12-13 lakh.
When this question was posed to the PDA Chairman, Salkar replied saying the PDA was all set to float the sopo fee collection tender before the traditional fishermen and local boat owners sought reduction of sopo fees for the local fishing stakeholders. “It was then decided to ask the PDA Member Secretary to re-work the estimate for the sopo tender taking into consideration the request from the local fishermen. We have now done the calculations. The sopo tender will be floated no sooner the sopo fees proposed for the local fishermen receives a nod from the Chief Minister”, Salkar added.
