PANJIM: Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Wednesday said the entire cost of the digital fare meter, i.e., Rs 11,234, will be credited directly to the account of the taxi owners immediately after their vehicle has been fitted with a digital meter.
“They (taxi owners) will just have to fill a form after fixing the meter and submit the documents to the Department of Transport,” Godinho said.
On the other hand, the State government issued a notification amending the ‘Goa State Public Transport Reimbursement of Cost of Digital Fare Meter 2021’ Scheme to this effect.
As per the amended scheme the entire amount of Rs 11,234 will be reimbursed directly to the individual’s account in one instalment after fitment of meters and submission of the application along with documents of the department of transport.
The taxi owners are expected to fix the digital meters at their own cost first and subsequently the amount will be reimbursed to them, Godinho said.
The Transport Minister further clarified that taxi owners, who have already been sanctioned the first instalment of Rs 4,290, as per the scheme but prior to the amendment, will also be reimbursed the balance amount of Rs 6,944.
On Tuesday, the taxi operators had alleged that the government was fooling them over the issue of providing free digital meters to them.
All Goa Private Bus Owners’ Association general secretary Sudip Tamhankar had said that though Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had announced that digital meters will be provided free of cost, the agencies/vendors were refusing to fit meters free of cost on grounds that there was no official communication from the government.
Tamhankar said taxi operators are firm on holding a padyatra in the coastal areas of North Goa district from October 2. He had said that though the government is saying that meters will be provided free of cost, every year taxi operators will have to pay charges for the printer, automotive tracking device and emergency system. He had demanded that the government should come clear on fitment of digital meters for taxis.
