Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday called for the introduction of app-based taxi services in the coastal state. Speaking in the Goa Assembly, Sawant urged all MLAs to support the cause, assuring them he would gain the confidence of all the stakeholders involved, Prudent Media reported. “We will go for app-based taxi services taking into confidence all stakeholders,” Sawant said on Thursday, according to Prudent Media. “The government is ready for app-based taxi services and will require the support of all MLAs.” The state has witnessed repeated tussles between its sole app-based taxi service Goa Miles and local taxi services over the areas in which they can operate. Goa Miles, a state government-backed taxi aggregator, was launched by the Goa Tourism Department and is run by a company called Frotamiles Private Limited. Urging taxi operators to use digital metres, the Chief Minister said: “Around 2,268 taxi operators applied for digital meter subsidy of which 1,824 have been granted subsidy. Even after this, taxi operators keep their meters off and cheat tourists.” App-based services like Uber and Ola have never operated in Goa so far.
