The Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries has voiced their opposition to the collection of trade license fees by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh. The Chamber is demanding that the fees be abolished altogether, as opposed to being suspended temporarily. The Urban Administration and Development Department had already suspended the fees in the entire state, but the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has since been collecting them from traders, depending on their location. The fees are based on the size and location of the business, with the rate ranging from Rs 4 to Rs 7,000.
The Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries is an organization in Madhya Pradesh dedicated to promoting and supporting commerce and industry in the city. Its membership is open to individuals, firms, companies, associations, and institutions involved in business, trade, commerce, industry, and service sectors. The Chamber aims to act as a representative of the businesses it serves and provides them with a platform for networking and collaboration with other businesses and government agencies.
Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries General Secretary Ajay Devnani is the spokesperson for the Chamber and is leading the current protest against the trade license fees. He has emphasized the Chamber’s demand to completely abolish the fees, rather than suspending them temporarily, as the state government has done. Devnani has also noted that the fees are not being collected uniformly in the state, with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation being the only civic body to insist on collecting them. He believes that the fees are an unnecessary burden on businesses and restrict their growth potential.
