Saligao taxi owners meet MLA, demand scrapping of cab aggregator plan
Calangute:
Taxi owners from Nerul, Pilerne, Saligao and other parts of the Saligao constituency on Sunday met local MLA Kedar Naik to demand that state govt discontinue plans to bring in more cab aggregators in Goa.
'We are against the new taxi aggregator guidelines. We have told our MLA that it should be scrapped because otherwise it may result in Goan taxi owners getting scrapped,' said Laxman Korgaonkar, a taxi union leader.
Korgaonkar, who operates a tourist taxi in Candolim, said the transport department had scheduled a meeting to discuss the new taxi aggregator guidelines with taxi owners in Calangute, but the meeting was abruptly cancelled without any explanation.
'Our demands are well known. But if we don't come forward and state our opposition to the guidelines now, tomorrow they will say we never objected and so they are allowing cab aggregators.
We are opposed to the cab aggregators,' he said. Saligao MLA Kedar Naik said, 'If outsiders come to Goa, it will affect the livelihood of Goans. In the next few days, I will discuss this issue with other coastal belt MLAs and later meet the CM and the transport minister and put forth their issues for govt to take appropriate steps.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
State to expand its forest produce processing centres, engage private players
Panaji: State govt has decided to involve private players to operate GoVan multi-product processing centres (MPCs) as it is planning to start 11 new MPCs in the state, including one at Agnel Ashram, Verna. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Currently, MPCs operate at Pale and Bicholim in North Goa, and Pontemol and Curchorem in South Goa. GoVan is a flagship initiative of Goa State Biodiversity Board, launched in 2021 under the Biological Diversity Act of 2002. It combines 'Goa' and 'Van' (forest) to reflect its dual commitment to preserving Goa's biodiversity and encouraging sustainable, non-destructive harvesting of minor forest produce. Through GoVan, govt promotes the sustainable use of Goa's biodiversity resources and links them to the livelihoods of the rural population, with a focus on empowering women. The selected private player must develop a plan to make the MPCs cost-effective and profitable over time. They need to provide a comprehensive strategy for ensuring the functioning and sustainability of existing and future MPCs, including necessary machinery and infrastructure upgrades. 'The private players will have to propose and implement marketing and working models (financial and revenue-sharing models) to ensure the long-term viability of the centres, with strategies for profitability and self-sustainability,' a senior officer said. GoVan centres process non-timber forest products (NTFP) such as cashew, jackfruit, bimbla, mango, kokum, and coconut into value-added goods like pickles, dried fruits, and local delicacies. GoVan employs a systematic and sustainable approach throughout its operations, starting with non-destructive harvesting techniques that preserve crop health and ecosystem balance. After harvesting, the produce is carefully collected and transported to ensure minimal damage. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It is then sorted and graded based on size, quality, and ripeness, followed by washing to eliminate contaminants and ensure food safety. The produce is stored under optimal conditions to maintain freshness. For packaging and labelling, GoVan uses eco-friendly materials and provides detailed product information, highlighting the sustainability of its practices. GoVan processes some products into value-added items, such as pickles, dried fruits, candied fruits, or local specialities like Fenori, a Goan sweet snack, that increases the market value and provides additional income opportunities for SHG women. 'This comprehensive value chain approach, from sustainable harvesting to value-added product development, not only ensures high-quality outputs but also supports GoVan's mission of promoting environmental conservation and empowering local communities,' a senior officer said.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
App guidelines spur 1.7k feedback letters
Panaji: The directorate of transport has received 1,750 letters of objection and suggestions in response to the recently notified Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. 'Govt will consider all feedback before finalising the regulations,' said the director of transport, Pravimal Abhishek. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A recurring theme in the letters was that the scope of aggregators should be limited strictly to point-to-point pickup and drop services. They should not be allowed to operate or facilitate bookings for local sightseeing tours, event transportation, cruise bookings, and other specialised services traditionally handled by local operators. Some drivers also pointed to practical challenges, such as poor mobile network coverage in certain areas and limited digital literacy among a segment of the workforce. Others raised the need to revise the fare structure in the future in tandem with the increasing fuel costs. Some drivers, however, expressed support for govt's initiative. On Tuesday, the department of tourism called upon local taxi operators to integrate with state-backed digital taxi platforms such as the Goa Taxi App and GoaMiles. Both apps facilitated 70,000+ rides and onboarded 1,000+ drivers within just over a year, the director of tourism, Kedar Naik, said. 'We urge all Goan taxi brothers to come onboard and make use of this free, govt-supported platform designed to benefit them,' he said.
India.com
13 hours ago
- India.com
Meet woman, an Indian, heir to Rs 4000000000000 business, she is…, her business is…
Vidhi Shanghvi, Sun Pharma Vidhi Shanghvi is the daughter of Dilip Shanghvi. She plays an important role in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries along with brother Aalok Shanghvi. The healthcare business is of Rs 4.35 lakh crore. She did bachelor's in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As per Forbes, Dilip Shanghvi is India's richest healthcare billionaire, with a net worth of around $29.2 billion as of December 15, 2024. Connection To Mukesh Ambani Vidhi is married to Vivek Salgaocar who is son of Goan industrialists Shiv and Ranjana Salgaocar. The Salgaoncars are connected to the Ambanis according to the Economic Times report. One of Mukesh and Anil Ambanis' sisters, Deepti, is married to Dattaraj Salgaocar, brother of Shiv Salgaoncar. Vidhi is the Vice President and Head of Consumer Healthcare, Nutrition, and India Distribution in Sun Pharma. She also developed Sun Pharma like an MNC for more than 10 years. The report also said that Vidhi is a non-executive director at Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, SPARC is Sun Pharma's subsidiary deals in clinical-stage biopharmaceutical products. Vidhi works for mental health related issues and has founded a non-profit organisation which helps the people to work on their mental health and provide solutions. Sun Pharma Industries According to the official website, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is the fourth largest specialty generic pharmaceutical company in the world. It earns global revenues of $ 5.4 billion. It has 43 manufacturing facilities, and provides 'high-quality, affordable medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients', to more than 100 countries across the globe.
