Goa, April 2 -- South Goa Member of Parliament (MP) Captain Viriato Fernandes of the Indian National Congress (INC) raised concerns over the Coastal Shipping Bill 2024 during his address in Parliament, highlighting several areas where he believes the bill falls short and offering suggestions for improvement.

One of the main points Captain Fernandes stressed was the bill's grant of significant discretionary powers to the Director-General and the Central Government, which he argued could lead to favouritism and a lack of transparency. He pointed out that the bill's centralized decision-making structure, coupled with the absence of clear criteria for granting exemptions or imposing penalties, could disadvantage smaller operators and create ...