Team Herald
PANJIM: Transport Minister Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar has said that the department is expecting to earn a revenue of more than Rs 300 crore by the end of current fiscal.
Dhavalikar said that the revenue from the Transport Department, which is currently pegged at Rs 250 crore till January 2019, will cross a ceiling of Rs 300 crore by this Financial Year End, breaking all the past records.
He said that the revenue for FY 2016-17 was Rs 236 crore, for Rs 2017-18 Rs 292 crore, while this year it will have a major jump in collection.
Dhavalikar said that such a huge collection is registered despite a fact that there is exemption of Road Tax for the trucks in the mining industry, amounting to Rs 20-25 crore loss.
The minister was addressing reporters on the sidelines of signing a Memorandum of Understanding between International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and State government on Public Private Partnership basis for starting ‘vehicle testing centre’ at Ponda.
The vehicles that have crossed the 15 years of use will mandatorily have to get the certificate from this centre, which will do away with the usual need to visit Transport Department office for the same.
Dhavalikar said that he is considering a proposal from Transport Department for setting up Driving Licence Issuance School at Farmagudi on automated basis.
The ICAT has been appointed to render technical advice to the department to set up such a school at Farmagudi. The department is also working on a proposal for transport hub for North and South Districts.
The minister said that all these facilities would be set up at Ponda.
Dhavalikar said that the department has started Citizen Service Centre at its head office in Panjim and also in Margao and Ponda. The State run Goa Electronic Limited is maintaining these Centres.
The department also aims to have such centres at Pernem, Quepem, Canacona and Vasco.
With over 8 lakh driving licences and Registration Certificates being issued by the department till date, Dhavalikar said the department is the first one to go fully digital with multiple payment options like payment gateway, credit and debit cards amongst others.
Almost 90 per cent of total revenue of the department which varies between 27-28 crore per month is collected digitally.
He also said that the State Transport Authority yesterday has approved demand of senior citizens to get 50 per cent concession in KTCL buses.
Dhavalikar said that rent-a-cab licences have been issued to new Goan operators and over 2,500 cabs have been converted into rent-a-cab thus providing employment for many.
The State government has decided to procure 100 electric buses with 100 per cent Capex from National Thermal Power Corporation. MOU will be executed with NTPC shortly, he said.
The department also intends to increase the quota of Yellow and Black Taxis from 350 to 750 at the Airport and process has already commenced at the airport.
