TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: With a demand to advice banks not to finance any further new barges owing to saturation in barge trade in Goa, a delegation of Goa Barge Owners Association (GBOA), met Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena, at
The delegation led by GBOA president Atul Jadhav pointed out to the Minister the difficulties being faced by the barge industry in the drastically reduced business scenario in the state.
In a representation made to the Menna, the association members have pleaded to advice the banks in the state not to provide any loans for financing purchase of new barges, in future.
“The business is going through severe crisis due to closure of several mines. Hence the number of trips, which use to be 140 to 150 during a season, has come down drastically,” GBOA said adding “any further rise in number of barges will further reduce the businesses.”
As per the statistics, GBOA operates 250 barges in the state, 50 are run by Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association and there are 10 barges registered outside
The association has asked Ministry to take up the issue with concerned government authorities and banks putting across issues like restructuring / rescheduling of loan to avoid becoming NPA. They have also demanded funding (capitalization) of interest due along with rationalisation of interest rates on barge loans.
