The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has launched several drives to increase the number of trade licences, albeit unsuccessfully. For the civic body, which is financially strapped, trade licences is one of the revenue sources.
Though there are more than six lakh trades in the city, the BBMP has issued only 57,000 trade licences. It is earning just Rs. 18 crore even though it can garner nearly three times the amount by covering all trades.
Commissioner Siddaiah conceded that the drives to increase the number of trade licences have not been successful. Teams had been formed earlier to take up the drive and councillors were also urged to help the civic body garner more revenue.
Towards increasing revenue inflow, the BBMP has now hit upon a new plan. The Commissioner said that the BBMP would collate data from Bangalore Electricity Supply Company of the number of commercial connections and the Department of Commercial Taxes of the number of traders paying sales tax.
“We will consider the traders’ applications for sales tax and commercial connections as those for trade licence as well. This means that these traders need not apply to the BBMP for trade licence,” he said.
He said that the officials had been directed to consider these applications and issue the trade licences, thereby bringing all trades under the BBMP’s ambit.
The officials have also been asked to raise demand for trade licences issued, i.e., the amount due to the BBMP from the date of application for the commercial power connection. “We have the data from both BESCOM and Department of Commercial Taxes,” he said.
