BANGALORE: Even as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is aiming to cover more traders and issue trade licence, industrialists are resisting the move and are instead demanding trade cess.The BBMP issued around 41,000 trade licences during 2009-10 and collected Rs 9 crore. It had aimed to collect Rs 107 crore during 2010-11, but collected only Rs 16.20 crore by issuing 48,255 licences. This year’s BBMP budget has stressed collection of Rs 85 crore from more than four lakh traders. In order to cover left out trade licences, the BBMP is planning to launch an intensive campaign.On the other hand, Members Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) is opposing to oblige. Speaking to The New Indian Express, FKCCI President J R Bangera said that they do not want to pay for trade licences. “Health inspectors comes to check manually, takes bribe and issues licence. Why should we encourage corruption? We are ready to pay trade cess, instead,” he added.Bangera further said that other taxes including IT, excise, customs can be paid online, it’s only BBMP that is following the old method. Online payments are more transparent. “BBMP should get the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act amended and allow us to pay cess,” he demanded.
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