Motorcycle pilots want aid released

Panaji: The Goa Motorcycle Taxi Riders’ Association has written to chief minister Pramod Sawant requesting him to release financial assistance associated with various schemes to the marginalised sector, including them.
With the state government celebrating 60 years of Liberation, the pilots were promised a one-time special package as the part of Goa@60 programme.This package was also eligible for operators of auto rickshaws, pick-up trucks, tempo trucks, etc, for which members had to apply by March this year.
They said that some applications were not accepted and have requested the release of those funds. “We hereby request you to accept those forms which we had submitted earlier and give them first preference. They should give benefits to the right people who really need financial help,” said association president Suresh Thakur.
The association has demanded the continuation of the monthly financial assistance scheme of Rs 2,000 which was stopped after five years. They further demanded that after completion of 60 years of age, the member be directly shifted on to the DDS scheme, so that “pilots who are in trouble because of no business in the pandemic” get financial support.