Palike eyes Rs 200 cr from its markets

Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Standing Committee on Markets on Wednesday set a target of collecting a revenue of Rs 200 crore from Palike-owned markets. 

Briefing reporters, Committee Chairperson Y Gowramma said: There are 6,016 shops at 121 markets. Yearly, we are able to collect Rs 40 crore only as many shop vendors have not paid us rent and some of them have not renewed their trade licences. We have issued notices several times. But most traders have ignored it. 

“Out of 6,016 shops, 1,382 shops are not functioning. Hence, we are collecting applications for trade licence renewal from remaining 4,634 shops, out which we have received only 1,315 applications,” Gowramma said. 

Committee member Nanjundappa said they will not issue any notices to traders and would evict those who have not paid the rent and renewed trade licences. The total worth of our markets is around Rs 2,000 crore — Rs 2,500 crore, he added. The committee has decided to increase rental fee by 25 per cent. 

Major defaulters

Government departments — Karnataka Fisheries Department, Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation and BSNL, among others, have not paid rents amounting to Rs 12.67 crore. 

Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), to whom BBMP has rented out 80 shops at Kalasipayam Market, has not paid rent for 20 years. They have to pay Rs 1.60 crore.