PANJIM: The Directorate of Transport has asked the Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) to reduce the CGST and SGST on service charges of Goa Taxi fares to reduce the overall amount paid by the tourist.
After the review meeting on the new Mopa Airport on Tuesday, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said, “As the service charges are high the CGST and SGST are also high. We have asked GEL to reduce it to ensure that the overall amount paid by tourist is less.”
Reacting to high taxi fares that went viral on social media, he said, "The fare ticket is genuine. The high fare is because the traveller chose a high-end vehicle. But, we are trying to work out ways to reduce the prices".
GEL is a corporation under the Goa govt which has designed the Goa Taxi app and also operates it. Godinho added that the viral bill that was circulating on social media wherein over Rs 4,000 was charged for a 65-odd-km ride from Mopa Airport to Benaulim, was a genuine one and the bill amount was as per the rates notified by the Directorate of Transport.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte reaffirmed that the Goa government is not into doing business and is not in competition with GoaMiles App aggregator.
He said that the Goa Taxi App is operating as per government notified fares. The Tourism Minister has also requested the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to hold review meetings every month to thrash out the problems surrounding the Manohar International Airport (MPA) and till things settle down.
Khaunte while clarifying on the high taxi fares that went viral on social media informed that the meeting that was called on Tuesday to put things in place as far as MPA is concerned. While speaking on high taxi fares, Khaunte said, "The GoaMiles is a private entity and is into competitive business. Goa government and Goa Taxi App is not in competition but is trying to use the IT platform to generate confidence among the taxi operators."
"Goa Taxi App is not in profit making business. It is a queue system and not a point-to-point service like the GoaMiles App," Khaunte added.
While clarifying on the high taxi fare bill that went viral on social media, Khaunte said, "It is not that the traveller took a hatchback vehicle. It was a luxury Multi Utility Vehicle (MUV) and has charged according to the government certified fares. I don't justify the cost, Goa Taxi App cost is indeed higher but it is advantage for taxi operators.”