Meanwhile, the BBMP is also often accused of issuing trade licences in violation of BDA zonal regulations. It is rare for these agencies to ensure that the vendor has acquired a BBMP trade licence before providing a commercial connection or registering on VAT. “The issue is that there are thousands of establishments freely operating without a trade licence without any issues. How can other agencies then insist on trade licence and lose revenue?” a senior officer from one of the agencies questioned. Trade licences issued in 2016–17 *Trade licence fee collected: ₹42.68 croreNew trade licences issued (from Apr.

Source: The Hindu January 26, 2017 16:07 UTC