Patna, Dec. 27: The civic body will charge shops, commercial establishments, coaching centres and private offices for putting up advertisement boards and signboards.

Announcing this at a news meet today, Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal said the new provision was being executed according to the rules formulated in Bihar Municipal Act, 2007 (amended).

“We have decided to levy royalty charges according to the Act. Shops and other establishments falling in the category will have to pay fee according to specified rates and with fine, as the Act came into force long back. We have also constituted a separate cell in the corporation for the purpose, as shops will also need to procure a licence from us before putting up boards from now,” Pal said.

All shops falling in the municipal area have also been asked to register themselves with the civic body by furnishing details like exact address, size and type of signboards, contact details of the proprietors and PAN, VAT and sales tax numbers. Pal suspended five tax collectors and dismissed one for failing to meet the daily target of holding tax collection. “While five were collecting less than 50 per cent of the daily target amount, the dismissed employee was found corrupt,” said Pal.