Panaji, October 23, 2025:
The Goa State Committee of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC-Goa) has strongly opposed the State Government’s decision to engage third-party contractors to operate ferry boats on nine riverine routes across Goa. The union condemned the move, calling it an “eye-wash” and a step towards privatisation under the pretext of saving revenue.
AITUC noted that the Flotilla staff and employees under the River Navigation Department (RND) and Inland Water Transport (IWT), Government of Goa, have been efficiently operating ferry services across Goa since the pre-liberation period, ensuring reliable and essential transport for the people.
The union pointed out that the government recently deployed two new Ro-Ro ferry boats on the Ribandar–Chorao route through a third-party contractor. However, despite outsourcing operations, the department continues to bear the diesel cost, which is substantial, and pays high monthly rents to the contractor — leading to additional financial burden on the State Exchequer.
AITUC further claimed that while nine riverine routes have been handed over to contractors, the maintenance of these ferries is still carried out by the government’s Marine Workshop under IWT, proving that privatisation benefits only private operators and not the public.
The union warned that this move would threaten job security and service conditions of the existing permanent flotilla staff.
AITUC-Goa has demanded that all ferry boats on Goa’s riverine routes continue to be operated solely by the current government employees under the River Navigation Department, without any involvement of private contractors.
— Anthony Fonseca, Secretary, AITUC-Goa
