Goa CM: Will scrap taxi aggregator guidelines after digital policy

Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday assured in the assembly that once the new digital taxi policy is finalised by govt, the Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 — which was in abeyance — will automatically get scrapped.

State govt said 15% of Goa’s population used the GoaMiles app for commuting.

“I want to make a clear-cut statement: once the digital taxi policy is finalised, the guidelines kept in abeyance are automatically scrapped,” Sawant said.


Transport minister Mauvin Godinho asked the opposition whether it wanted digitisation in taxi operations or not. The opposition urged govt to scrap the aggregator guidelines, as 93% had objected to implementing the same.
Opposition leader Yuri Alemao said the act of govt was squeezing taxi operators. He said govt defined taxi operators as a mafia, and that there was a lot of agitation witnessed in the state over taxi issues, including speed governance, taxi apps, and taxi meters.

Alemao said the aggregator must charge according to govt-notified fare. “Who wants to control the market? The algorithm decides to control the taxi business and income. Will independent taxi stands survive, and what specific enforcement exists to ensure that commission is not deducted from taxi operators, or that the algorithm does not decide to deduct the commission?” he said.

Godinho said taxis were a legacy problem that needed to be resolved. Most taxi operators accepted the taxi app, but two opposed it, he said, due to which taxi issues were not resolved and Goa’s name has been getting tarnished.

Godinho said apps were being used even for buying fruits and vegetables, but when it came to taxis, there is an issue. “Goa is being isolated as far as taxis are concerned,” he said.

Alemao said that when govt invited objections and suggestions for the guidelines, 3,802 people filed their objections, which was a total of 93% of objections and suggestions received by govt, and that it was govt’s duty to scrap the guidelines.

“Last eight months, these guidelines were kept in abeyance. Why were we not called for the last meeting as elected representatives? MLAs opposed the guidelines,” Alemao said.


09_Goa_MS_Taxi
CM: Will scrap taxi aggregator guidelines after digital policy




Edited. 360 words.

Times News Network

Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday assured in the assembly that once the new digital taxi policy is finalised by govt, the Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 — which was in abeyance — will automatically get scrapped.

State govt said 15% of Goa’s population used the GoaMiles app for commuting.

“I want to make a clear-cut statement: once the digital taxi policy is finalised, the guidelines kept in abeyance are automatically scrapped,” Sawant said.

Transport minister Mauvin Godinho asked the opposition whether it wanted digitisation in taxi operations or not. The opposition urged govt to scrap the aggregator guidelines, as 93% had objected to implementing the same.

Opposition leader Yuri Alemao said the act of govt was squeezing taxi operators. He said govt defined taxi operators as a mafia, and that there was a lot of agitation witnessed in the state over taxi issues, including speed governance, taxi apps, and taxi meters.

Alemao said the aggregator must charge according to govt-notified fare. “Who wants to control the market? The algorithm decides to control the taxi business and income. Will independent taxi stands survive, and what specific enforcement exists to ensure that commission is not deducted from taxi operators, or that the algorithm does not decide to deduct the commission?” Alemao said.

Godinho said taxis were a legacy problem that needed to be resolved. Most taxi operators accepted the taxi app, but two opposed it, he said, due to which taxi issues were not resolved and Goa’s name has been getting tarnished.

Godinho said apps were being used even for buying fruits and vegetables, but when it came to taxis, there is an issue. “Goa is being isolated as far as taxis are concerned,” he said.

Alemao said that when govt invited objections and suggestions for the guidelines, 3,802 people filed their objections, which was a total of 93% of objections and suggestions received by govt, and that it was govt’s duty to scrap the guidelines.

“Last eight months, these guidelines were kept in abeyance. Why were we not called for the last meeting as elected representatives? MLAs opposed the guidelines,” Alemao said.