Civic licence for traders at doorstep

NEW DELHI: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation will hire a private concessionaire to issue general trade/health licences to shopkeepers at their doorsteps.

This initiative has been undertaken after the civic agency failed to attract traders to obtain the licences despite simplifying the General Trade License Policy in 2014.

“Even after the simplification, out of the three lakh shopkeepers in North Delhi, only 2,500 shopkeepers obtained the health/ trade licences,” said a senior North Corporation official.

It is mandatory for all the traders/establishments to obtain trade/storage licence under Section 417 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.

However, in the absence of any strict action by the civic agencies, majority of shopkeepers are running their shops without obtaining licences.

The updated policy required the shopkeepers to submit only three-four documents instead of 11 documents required in the past. It included address proof, ID proof and ownership/ rent deed in addition to service charges and licensing fees.

“While the documents to be submitted will remain the same, shopkeepers will not have to visit the zonal offices under the new set up. Rather company’s staff will visit them and ensure they get the licences. However, if a shopkeeper refuses to take the licence than he/she will be challaned,” said Parvesh Wahi, standing committee chairman, North Corporation.

The staff will carry photocopy machines, form, demand drafts for the convenience of shopkeeper. It will charge `740 as service charges in addition to licensing fees (calculated on the basis of covered area of a shop) from shopkeepers.

The corporation is expecting to cover one lakh traders in a year with the help of private concessionaire and generate a revenue of `20 crore.