File picture of Bali yatra in Cuttack

Cuttack, Oct. 27: The municipal corporation has hiked temporary licence fees collected from individuals and firms for setting up kiosks during the weeklong festival of Bali yatra that begins on November 6.

The civic body has decided to levy an increased licence fee ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 1,400 depending on the nature, size and type of kiosks to be set up during the festival.

The traders willing to set up giant wheels (electric) will have to pay a licence fee of Rs 5,000 instead of Rs 3,600, while a fee of Rs 1,000 has been fixed for the first time for small and medium merry-go-rounds (electric).

The licence fee for thunkapuri kiosk and other small restaurants have been hiked from Rs 600 to Rs 1,200. Thunkapuri, a traditional delicacy, is hugely popular with those who come to Bali yatra.

Besides, the corporation has planned to collect the licence fee ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500 from various company-sponsored restaurants, society or government undertaking kiosks, fast food and kiosks selling furniture, ice creams or cold drinks.

It is for the first time that such units will pay the licence fee, as earlier no fee other than ground rent was collected from such units for setting up kiosks and doing business during the fair.

Over 1,300 kiosks came up during Bali yatra last year. This time, the number of kiosks is likely to go up as efforts are on by the district administration to increase the area of the fair venue.

“We have revised the licence fee marginally to increase our revenue from Bali yatra, and a special squad will be formed to ensure proper collection of the fee,” said Cuttack Municipal Corporation commissioner Gyana Das.

Das said the corporation usually spent around Rs 30 to Rs 35 lakh towards sanitation and making other arrangements for the festival.

The corporation was able to collect revenue of Rs 13 lakh against the total expenditure of Rs 33 lakh last year. The decision to revise the licence fee is likely to generate an additional income of nearly Rs 1 to Rs 2 lakh.

Besides, the corporation is also likely to generate extra revenue as its share from the ground rent has also been revised to Rs 5.50 per sqft from Rs 4.50.

The civic body had collected Rs 11 lakh towards the ground rent last year.

“Bali yatra being a public-oriented service, our objective is not to make profit rather minimise the loss deficit of the corporation by at least Rs 2 to Rs 5 lakh this year. In turn, the corporation provides infrastructure for the fair,” Das said.

The decision of revising the temporary licence fee has elicited mixed response from the traders willing to set up stalls during Bali yatra.

“Already the ground rent has been increased to Rs 22 from Rs 20 per sqft, hence the decision to increase the licence fee will certainly be an extra burden for small and medium traders who come from different parts of the state to the fair,” said Akshaya Das, a trader.

Das said that there is a possibility that the many traders might go for increasing the prices of their products in a bid to recover their expenditure for setting up kiosks.

Dilip Bhuiyan, another trader said that as Bali yatra offers a good business opportunity, there is a rush among traders, especially engaged in selling of handicrafts and other household articles to set up kiosks at the annual fair.

“We always look forward to Bali yatra as we are able to do a business over Rs 4 lakh within seven days. Though the licence fee is bit on a higher side especially for the giant wheels and other food kiosks, it would not matter to us,” said Bhuiyan.

“So far the land allotment process is yet to be completed and we are waiting for a space at Bali yatra. Once we get a space then we will decide whether the price of our product will be increased or will be similar to the previous year,” said Kishore Sah, another trader.