Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Wednesday night assured the Goa Legislative Assembly that the GoaMiles app will not be scrapped. He, however, requested tourist taxi operators to come forth with a proposal to develop an independent app or join GoaMiles.
 
Speaking at the end of long discussion on the subject, Sawant said, “We will not back out from running GoaMiles, if you want come out with your app. The government will support and promote your app.”
 
He added, “We will not buy more vehicles and ensure that taxi services under GoaMiles are taken. Join app-based service for three months and if you are not satisfied with the services then we will review. I am ready to support their app and promote their app. Today taxi operators are struggling to earn Rs 15-20,000 a month, I assuring you that if you enrol under GoaMiles you will end up earning minimum Rs 40,000 per month.”
 
He further said that a large number of fatal accidents on Goan roads involve tourists, who get confused regarding the roads. Sawant said the unavailability of affordable taxi service results in tourists opting for rent-a-bike resulting in risking their lives on Goan roads. “While moving forward we have to adopt technology or else we will lag behind. We are worried about the future of local taxi operators. GoaMiles technology domain and keywords is with GTDC they are just a contractor.” 
 
He further stated that GoaMiles is ready to pay for car insurance and government is in talks with GoaMiles to ensure that every taxi driver and owner gets an assured minimum business. “By installing digital meters the security of tourists cannot be ensured. We don’t want Ola and Uber in Goa, we want Goans to run the taxi service,” he added.
Stating that the government cannot run a taxi service on its own as it will never go as per plans, he requested the taxi owners not to hold an agitation. 
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho addressed the taxi operators as the true ambassadors of Goa for keeping up the name of the State and promoting the State. However, speaking in favour of the app he said, “We need to keep the opinion of the people and the tourists after GoaMiles has been brought into the taxi industry. There are only a few taxi owners and their leaders who have been taken for a ride that if GoaMiles is allowed then the taxi business will be over for the Goans. When the whole world is going digital, then do we want to remain behind by not going towards technology?”