Puttur City Council Approves Trade License Fee Hike, Faces Scrutiny Over Delays

Puttur, June 29,2025: The Puttur City Council, in its general body meeting on June 27, 2025, approved a revised trade license fee structure, as finalized by the Bylaw Formation Committee. The meeting, chaired by President Leelavathi Annu Naik at the council auditorium, saw heated discussions on tax collection delays, pending license renewals, and infrastructure issues, with council members demanding greater transparency and efficiency from officials.

According to a report by Udayavani, Municipal Commissioner Madhu S. Manohar presented the revised fee structure, which was formulated after extensive consultations with entrepreneurs, traders, and owners of marriage halls and convention centers. The new rates include ₹7,200 for convention halls up to 2,000 sq. ft., ₹8,400 for 5,000 sq. ft., ₹9,600 for 7,500 sq. ft., and ₹12,000 for 10,000 sq. ft., with a 10% increase for every additional 2,000 sq. ft. Hotels and restaurants will now pay ₹4,380 for up to 500 sq. ft., rising to ₹8,760 for 2,001–5,000 sq. ft., with a 10% hike for larger establishments. Juice centers, snack shops, and ice cream parlors have also been incorporated into the fee structure.

Tax Collection and Renewal Backlog Sparks Debate

Council member Mohammad Riyaz raised concerns over the council’s performance, noting that 50% of property taxes remain uncollected and 756 trade license renewal applications are pending, as per District Cooperative Bank (DCB) records. He demanded detailed explanations for the delays. Commissioner Madhu attributed the backlog to staff shortages, server issues, and the complexity of issuing separate licenses for individual rooms under a single door number. Vice-President Balachandra Kemmije supported the need for additional time to streamline processes. Following Riyaz’s insistence, officials promptly presented the requested data during the meeting.

Digital Transformation on the Horizon: Commissioner Madhu announced plans to digitize all council operations within two months, with routers being procured to enable online processes. “The office will soon be fully computerized, ensuring efficiency and transparency,” he stated.

Pending Funds and Infrastructure Concerns

Ruling party members demanded immediate fund releases under the Amrit Nagarothana 4 scheme for house construction, toilet building, and repairs, citing unfulfilled assurances from MLA Ashok Kumar Rai two months ago. Opposition member Riyaz noted that Rai recently met with the Directorate of Municipal Administration, securing a commitment to release funds soon.

Ruling party member Padmanabha Naik criticized the lack of road and drainage repairs despite pre-monsoon tenders, with officials citing early rains as the reason and promising repairs post-monsoon. Member Deeksha Pai highlighted poor sanitation around Balavana, while Riyaz criticized the substandard execution of the Jalsiri project.

Revised Fee Structure Highlights

Convention Halls: ₹7,200 (up to 2,000 sq. ft.), ₹8,400 (5,000 sq. ft.), ₹9,600 (7,500 sq. ft.), ₹12,000 (10,000 sq. ft.), with a 10% hike for every additional 2,000 sq. ft.

Hotels/Restaurants: ₹4,380 (up to 500 sq. ft.), ₹5,475 (501–1,000 sq. ft.), ₹6,570 (1,001–2,000 sq. ft.), ₹8,760 (2,001–5,000 sq. ft.), with a 10% increase thereafter.

Other Businesses: Fees for juice centers, snack shops, and ice cream parlors included.

The meeting, attended by Standing Committee Chairman Sundar Poojary Badavu, underscored the council’s efforts to balance revenue generation with addressing operational and public grievances.

Keywords: Puttur City Council, trade license fees, property tax collection, Karnataka municipal news, Bylaw Formation Committee, Amrit Nagarothana scheme, Puttur infrastructure, trade license renewal, business fees Karnataka, digital municipal services