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AAP alleges daylight robbery in BBMP's trade licenses

  • The AAP has alleged a large scam in the BBMP's trade licenses.
  • RTI's have revealed a large difference between shops and number of licenses. 
  • The BBMP meanwhile seems unsure which department should even issue the licenses. 
AAP alleges daylight robbery in BBMPs trade licenses

RTI activists have nailed the BBMP's lie of having only 33,986 properties existing in the city listed as commercial. The activists themselves estimate the actual number to be over 4 lakh commercial units within the BBMP's borders, which is a massive difference. 


Shivakumar Chengalraya,  state co-convener of the Aam Admi Party, says the collection of revenue of Rs 30.85 crore can be easily tripled if the authorities work with honesty and bring unregistered traders within the BBMP's ambit.


"The BBMP has failed to look into many service apartments and paying guests that also take money. And these properties take power connection from the BESCOM, another civic agency, by declaring themselves as commercial units. Sadly the corrupt officials have not included these potential revenue generating units under the traders list," he said.


When AAP volunteers, he claimed, surveyed nine wards and counted the number of shops, the number exceeded the figures quoted by BBMP. 


"We estimated that there were four lakh properties across all 198 wards. As per the BBMP's data, the establishments pay tax on an average of Rs 9,500 per annum, which when calculated amounts to nearly a Rs 400 crore loss,“ said Chengalraya,


He accused officials, corporators, taxation standing committee members and even the Mayor of being hand-in-glove in this massive scam.


BBMP's replies to RTIs showed that there were 33,986 commercial establishments licensed by the Palike for 2016- 17, a reduction from the 41,075 trade licences issued in 2015-16. 


However, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) replies to AAP queries showed there were 6,15,509 commercial power installations in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area.


City Mayor G Padmavathi refuted the charges and said the BBMP is not able to confirm trade licence issues as there is confusion about which department should be the authority to issue trade licences. 


"So far health department in the BBMP was issuing licences, but many think it should be of the revenue department's duty. Hence to avoid confusion, we will form a committee, and its recommendations will be placed before the government. Once the government makes it a policy, we can add more properties like homes industries and others into trade list," she said.  

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