MCD's decision to increase taxes on trade licenses will severely affect small, medium traders: Pathak

New Delhi: MCD has increased taxes on trade licenses by manifold, Aam Aadmi Party's MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak alleged on Thursday while adding that the worst impact will be witnessed by the small and medium traders.

He alleged that the corporation has imposed around 13 different kinds of taxes on the citizens and that earlier a small trader would pay Rs 500-1,000 which has now been increased to Rs 6,000-15,000. The factory license has increased from Rs 5,000-15,000 to Rs 50,000-1.5 lakh.

The AAP has demanded that the corporation should stop harassing the traders by sealing their shops if they are unable to pay the taxes due to the pandemic.

"If there is a problem of even 1 inch in the signboards mounted on top of shops, FIRs are lodged and penalties are imposed according to the whims and fancies of MCD officials. Business this past year has come to naught. In such a situation, I think it's wrong to charge such exorbitant amounts for a trade license, a factory license, for garbage collection, and penalties for signboards," he added.

The leader said that the MCD does not pick up garbage from homes, and instead charges for the services. "So, if the shop is small, it charges Rs 6,000, and for a big shop, this amount is Rs 50,000 per year, but MCD never picks up the garbage," he said.