THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Trade licence fee
for dangerous and offensive industries, other types of business establishments, shops and factories in the city are set for a steep hike, registering as high as 100-150 times the present rates.
The health wing of the city corporation has revised the licence fees for various commercial establishments after two decades. Around 60 new types of businesses have been included in the revised licence fee pattern which is now being scrutinised by the health standing committee.
It was in 1995 that city corporation had revised licence fees for various types of business ventures as per different sections of Kerala Municipality Act. Although the rule mandates civic body to revise the licence fee every five years, corporation has withheld revision of the fee dreading public wrath.
As per the proposal, zone-based licence fee structure will be introduced in the city. The ‘A zone’ includes 17 major stretches in the city covering bypass, heart of the city and a part of MC road. Shopping establishments functioning in buildings on either side of any of these roads will be included in A zone. ‘B zone’ will include shops on the sides of two stretches; Maruthamkuzhy- Vattiyoorkavu CPT road and Karamana- Thirumala- Arayallor road. All the places not included in A and B zones have been included under ‘C zone’.
Officials with city corporation said that licence fee will be the highest in A zone followed by B and C zones. At present, the highest licence fees issued for industries are in the range Rs1,000 to Rs 3,000. Tyre industries and hospitals (above 50 beds) are charged a licence fee of Rs 1,000. Marriage auditoriums are charged between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 based on annual rent. Liquor shops are charged between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 based on type of sales. Hotels, tea shops and lodges are also charged up to Rs 1,500 based on annual rent.
As per the proposal, the minimum rate of licence fees will begin from Rs 2,000 touching up to Rs 25,000. New kind of establishments including retail chains, mobile shops, computer shops, online business ventures have also been brought under the ambit. Licence fee rates for
gold
business, which now runs on measly rates, will climb steeply as per the proposal. As per the present rate, large scale and small scale accumulation of gold for sales are charged licence fees of Rs 200 and Rs 100 respectively. The licence fee for
gold business
is likely to record a hike of 50-100 times the present rates.
Some of the outdated businesses like sale of VCP, VCR, audio and video cassettes have been taken out and the new list covers over 200 ventures including newly added commercial establishments. If the revised rates come into effect, corporation is going to record a mammoth revenue in terms of licence fees. In 2016-17, corporation collected Rs 1.5 crore as licence fee for dangerous and offensive trade and Rs 2 lakh as other licence fees. In terms of licence fee under Pharmacy Practice Regulations Act, corporation collected licence fee of Rs 30,000 and under Cinema Regulation Act, an amount of Rs 20,000 was collected in 2016-17.
The revised rates will be presented in the next council meeting. All industries producing plastic and polythene covers will not be issued licence fee, officials said.
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