Don’t harass small traders for licence: DC

Belagavi: Small and medium traders in the city will no longer be required to obtain a trade licence from the Belagavi City Corporation.
Deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil has directed city corporation officials not to harass traders by making the licence mandatory. He informed the authorities that traders could obtain a permit from either the city corporation or the department of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME). The issue of licences should be left to their discretion as to where they can obtain them.
It had been a long-pending demand of the industrial community. The Belagavi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) had made representation to the DC as well as the commissioner of the city corporation in this regard a few months ago, but in vain.
Speaking to TOI, BCCI president Rohan Juvali welcomed DC's instructions to the city corporation. "It's clearly stated in the Karnataka Municipalities Act 1977 that the trade licence is required for some specific trades, not all in general, as the city corporation was forcing," he explained.
Rohan Juvali further stated that anyone registered under Section 30 of the Professional Tax Act does not have to pay any other local taxes in order to conduct business. Furthermore, industries and trades registered under MSME are not required to obtain a licence from the local authorities.