In a bid to resolve issues traders face in obtaining or renewing business licences, Mayor Manoj Kumar has introduced a first-of-its-kind Trade Adalat.
The initiative aims to streamline the licensing process and address administrative bottlenecks in one place.
The first Trade Adalat was held at the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC). The adalat granted concessions in fines for businesses that failed to renew their trade licences over multiple years.
The mayor expressed satisfaction with the positive reception of the first-time initiative, where numerous traders took advantage of the opportunity to resolve various trade license-related issues with MCC's assistance under a single platform.
Trade Adalat will be held at the MCC regularly. Another session will be held after 10 days, he said.
In fact, the city corporation has the data of traders with details of trade licence issue dates. If they do not renew their trade licence every year, then the software will add a penalty amount, and they will have to pay a huge amount to renew the same.
Traders who have not renewed their licence for several years will be given a concession in the penalty amount at the Trade Adalat. They may renew the licence without paying hefty penalties during the adalat, the mayor said.
Officials will check the documents and issue an order to pay the penalty at a concessional rate to renew the trade licence. The adalat will also help the city corporation to generate revenue, he said.
The mayor also hinted at carrying out drives in the city to check unauthorised shops and business establishments, which are functioning either without a licence or not renewing the existing one.
A total of 97 applications, including 91 for trade licence renewal, were received at the adalat.
