MAPUSA
Nearly 70 per cent of shops in the Mapusa municipal market are still awaiting renewal of their trade licences, owing to a protracted and complex procedure adopted by the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC), despite clear instructions from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and a resolution passed by the council to simplify the process.
During his visit to the Mapusa Municipal Council in the first week of June, the Chief Minister directed the Chief Officer to expedite the renewal process and revert to the earlier system of spot renewals, so as not to inconvenience the business community. The MMC had also unanimously passed a resolution on May 7, asking the administration to continue with the earlier method of over-the-counter renewals and dispose of applications for municipal-owned shops within three days.
However, in apparent defiance of both the Chief Minister’s directives and the council resolution, the civic body’s administration has continued with the existing cumbersome procedure introduced last year.
Traders now have to formally apply for a trade licence, following which a municipal inspector inspects the premises and submits a report.
Only after a personal hearing with the Chief Officer is the licence renewed “ a process that now takes nearly a month, as opposed to the 10-minute counter service previously in place.
“There are about 1,000 shops in the municipal market and around 4,000 in the town. What used to take 10 minutes now takes almost a month. We’ve written to the Chief Officer and informed the local MLA, but nothing has changed,” said Siddesh Raut, Secretary of the Mapusa Merchants Association.
Another grievance voiced by the traders is the lack of an online renewal facility, which is otherwise available in most other municipalities across Goa.
“When the government talks of digitisation to simplify services and eliminate corruption, this outdated manual process in Mapusa is a big setback,” said a trader from the municipal market.
Due to the current lengthy process, only around 30 per cent of the renewal applications have been cleared after personal hearings.
Traders are increasingly concerned about the delays, as a valid trade licence is essential not only for operating a business but also for obtaining bank loans, permissions and other government services.
When contacted, a senior municipal official said the decision to tighten the renewal process stemmed from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pending before the High Court.
The PIL, filed by RTI activist Jawaharlal Shetye, highlights issues of illegal sub-letting of municipal premises, lessees overstaying lease periods and unlawful property transfers “ all in violation of the Goa Municipalities Act.
Still, the traders argue that these issues could be addressed without halting or complicating routine licence renewals, especially when legitimate businesses are being made to suffer.
Even after the Chief Minister’s directive on June 3 to revert to the earlier simplified procedure, the civic body has yet to implement the changes.
The delay has left hundreds of shopkeepers in limbo, uncertain about the status of their businesses and frustrated by the municipal administration’s apparent disregard for policy directives and trader welfare.
