Bhopal (Madehya Pradesh): Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries has registered protest against dual tax system, demanding that trade licence fee be abolished in the state. Their protest comes in wake of Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s move to collect it from traders.
Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries general secretary Ajay Devnani said, “BMC is collecting trade licence fee from traders while it has been suspended in entire Madhya Pradesh. We are demanding abolition of trade licence fee and not suspension because state government will keep evoking it. In case of suspension, it should be suspended uniformly in the state.”
Though Urban Administration and Development Department (UADD) suspended the collection of trade licence fee in the state on May 24, it stated that if trade licence fee was imposed at civic body level, it would remain unchanged.
Keeping the latter part in view, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been collecting it from traders be it shop keepers, restaurant owners, hostels depending on their location from main roads or lane.
Charges
Trade licence fee is charged from business establishment located on the streets and single road (width up to 7.5 metres) at rate of Rs 4 per sq feet. For those located on double road, the rate is Rs 5 per sq ft, Rs 6 per sq ft is for four lanes or more (width more than 15 m).
In industrial units, the rate of licence fee for institutions engaged in production work is Rs 3600, and for area above 10,000 square feet, it is Rs 5,000 and industrial units with an area of more than 50,000 square feet, licence fee is Rs 7,000. Within radius of 100 metres on both sides of the four-lane road, the minimum commercial license fee for shop/gumti is Rs 250.
