Bansal says revision of trade license charges necessary to expand coverage under MCD
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Dehradun municipal commissioner Namami Bansal has justified the proposed amendments to trade license rules after 27 years by stating that the changes are necessary to bring all business establishments under the licensing system and to enable the corporation to fund essential urban improvements. She said that the current fee structure, unchanged since 1998, has become outdated and excludes many commercial entities from regulation. She stated that the updated by-laws aim to expand the scope of licensing to include all relevant trades and revise charges to reflect present-day requirements. Bansal further clarified that the proposed charges are moderate compared to similar fees levied by municipal bodies in neighbouring states such as Uttar Pradesh. According to her, the revisions are crucial for ensuring better governance, systematic registration and long-term planning for the city’s infrastructure and public services. The draft by-laws were released recently and the corporation has sought feedback and objections from stakeholders until May 31. The commissioner said that MCD has just proposed the charges and will make necessary changes after reviewing the suggestions. Subsequently, MCD will issue a final notification and begin phased implementation of the updated licensing system. As per the MCD proposal, business categories such as wedding venues, hotels, hospitals, clinics, medical shops, liquor outlets, animal-related trades and shopping malls will be subject to specific registration and annual renewal fees, structured according to the scale and nature of their operations. The commissioner has assured stakeholders that recommendations and objections raised by them will be considered before finalising the framework and that all changes will be implemented in a structured and transparent manner.
