Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Saturday initiated a drive to identify traders who have been carrying out business activities within the civic body limits without paying necessary trade license fee.
Also read: Chandaka murder case: Woman was strangulated prior to being beheaded
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for the purpose with a private agency to conduct an extensive survey and submit its report, BMC Deputy Commissioner Srimanta Mishra informed.
According to the terms and conditions of the MoU, the agency will gather ward-wise information with location as well as identity of the defaulter traders. BMC will take further administrative steps based on the survey report. The civic body will regularise the licensing process and ensure that all traders pay the requisite trade license fee.
At present, over 50,000 trade units are operating within BMC limits. Approximately, 13,000 trade units have only obtained the prescribed license. Lack of registration and fee payment has been causing a huge loss to the civic body in terms of revenue, an official source of the BMC said.
PNN