Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is gearing up to put in place a system that would make licences compulsory for shops and other commercial establishments.

All shops, street vendors and even chicken and meat sellers would soon need to compulsorily get trade licence from the civic body.

Shopkeepers would need to cough up Rs 2,000 to apply for the trade licence, while it would be given for free to street vendors. PMC has framed the corresponding guidelines and proposals in this regard would be floated at the next meeting of its empowered standing committee for approval.

“Section 342 of Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, deals with municipal licence for use of any premise for non-residential purpose. The Act requires the municipal body to frame respective guidelines before making trade licences compulsory. Accordingly, we have recently framed the guidelines, which envisage rates for issuing trade licence, registration formalities and its associated penalties. The guidelines would be tabled at the next meeting of the standing committee, slated for August 6, for approval,” said a PMC official.

Once the empowered panel gives its nod, it would be sent to PMC board for seeking approval and thereafter to state urban development and housing department for final nod.

“PMC would issue a public notice to the shopkeepers for applying for the trade licence. Those shopkeepers who would fail to apply for the trade licence within the stipulated time, would be liable for penalty,” said the PMC official.

PMC commissioner Kuldip Narayan on July 30 issued an order prohibiting sale of any meat within 50 metres of principal main and main roads.

A proposal to give no-objection certificate (NoC) for execution of Ganga riverfront development project would also be tabled at the meeting. PMC sources said a pay-n-park system at 51 places on 17 roads across the city would be proposed at the next meeting.