PANAJI: The state’s attempts to replace old buses and mini-buses with new ones seem to have come to a standstill. No claims were made for the Goa State Subsidy for the Replacement of Old Passenger Buses Scheme as of August 31.“Bus owners usually apply for the scheme every year, but, in recent years, we have faced a lot of problems in availing the monetary benefits of the scheme ,” president of the All Goa Stage Carriage Bus Owners’ Association, Sudesh Kalangutkar said.Relating his experience he said, “I scrapped my old bus, which was operating for 12 years, and purchased a new bus for Rs 22 lakh, in 2016. I paid from my own pocket and took a loan to cover the cost. The government is yet to give me Rs 4.2 lakh,” he said.He added that with the price of diesel and spare parts going up, it was difficult to operate buses.“The private bus business is no longer profitable. I had nine buses up until 1981, but have now come down to only two. The transport department’s delay in covering my the cost of my new bus is further demotivating. Bus owners therefore don’t have any confidence in this government scheme anymore,” he said.Sources in the transport department said an amendment was proposed to the scheme in 2016, which was delaying the process for clearing claims made from that financial year onwards.“Prior to the amendment, whoever has applied for the scheme, their money has been cleared,” a transport official said, adding that claims for a total of 96 KTCL buses and approximately 8 private buses are pending.Launched in 2001, the scheme was once amended in 2007. This scheme provides for replacement of buses whose model is older than 10 to 15 years from the date of its initial registration and have a valid regular stage carriage permit.The same scheme, which also extends to taxis, rickshaws and motorcycle pilots, saw 10 takers for the replacement of yellow and black taxis and 37 takers for white tourist taxis till August 31.

Stay updated with all the Latest Goa headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.