Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Panchayats geared up to take over task of issuing hawker and trade licenses

ANAND OBEROIGANGTOK, 02 Sept: The devolution of more powers to Panchayats took another step forward today with Panchayati Raj Institutions beginning the process of directly issuing hawkers and trade licenses at the GPU level.
The decentralization of this power comes to the door steps of the rural masses as part of an announcement made by the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling during his extensive village-to-village tour of the State recently.
Keeping this new initiative of the state government in mind and to ensure efficient and effective implementation, a State Level orientation Programme on the “Issuance of Trade and Hawkers Licenses by Panchayati Raj Institutions” was organized here at Chintan Bhawan today. The day- long interface with concerned departments like the UD&HD, which issued these licenses thus far, was organized by the RM&DD. 
The RM&DD Secretary, A. Ganerewal, in his address to the participants which included Gram and Zilla Panchayat members from all the four districts and officers of the Block Development Offices, stated that the day was significant since it was another feather to the cap of the power decentralization process in the state. While holding up the decision of the government as ‘historic’, he went on to add that this new endeavor would further strengthen the PRIs in their functioning towards a developed and aware rural society.
The Secretary, while speaking on other facilities lined up for the Panchayats in the coming days, informed them that the 10 existing Gram Prashasan Kendras in the state would now be increased to 30 with the establishment of 20 new Kendras within the year 2011-12.
He further informed that apart from the increase in honorariums to the panchayats which had already been sanctioned, Rs. 19 crore had been kept aside by the Department for Panchayati Raj Institutions in Sikkim in this financial year.
The resource persons from the UD&HD today detailed guidelines for the issuance of the licenses, made announcements of notified towns and bazaar classifications and informed the participants on the items and their rates for all classes of bazaars.
On the criteria for issue of these licenses, it was informed that an applicant must be 18 years and above and a holder of a Sikkim Subject Certificate or a Certificate of Identification. The applicants, it was informed, also need to obtain an NoC from the house owners in case the business operates from a rented accommodation, present an occupancy certificate of building in case the premises fall under notified area, have residential certificates if settled prior to 1975, a recommendation from area MLA, clearance/ NOC from Forest Department in case the shop is outside notified areas and within road reserve and lastly should not be an employee of any government organizations.
The criteria for issue of license in rural areas states that an applicant should posses Sikkim Subject/ certificate of Identification, Purcha Khatian of the landed property recorded in the name of applicant and should not be in any government organizations. Other documents which have been made mandatory are an NOC from Forest Department for conduct of business of forest products, License from Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Cell, Health Department for any prepared food articles/unprepared food articles or eatables, NOC from Licensing Authority, Drug Cell of Health Department for sale, supply, maintenance and manufacture of medicines, nursing home, medical, optical and dental clinics, pathology lab, X- Ray lab etc.
 An NOC from the Crime Branch, Sikkim Police for Cyber cafĂ© under the Sikkim Information technology Rules of 2009, Registration under the Sikkim Companies Act, 1961 for private companies and private security agencies and in case of those private companies registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1956, they shall enlist the company with the Law Department.
Further, for private institutions, schools and tutorials, a registration with the HRDD is required while for petrol pumps, an authorization certificate from the IOC will be required.
In case of manufacturing units, registration with Commerce and Industries Department is mandatory and for hotels and travel agencies registration with the Tourism Department under Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules, 2008 has been made mandatory.
Similarly, the conditions for issue of hawkers License will be that there should be hawker space available in that particular bazaar for which the license is sought, the license should not be for more than four bazaars, the hawker shall conduct business only in the bazaars specified in the license and only on haat days and the hawker shall not erect a permanent structure.
The licensing Authority in the rural areas will be the BDOs like the UD&HD will be for notified areas and the local bodies shall issue or cancel licenses as per the Sikkim Trade License and Miscellaneous Rules, 2011 in areas falling within their jurisdiction i.e. Gram Panchayat Units/ Municipal Areas.
The Gram Panchayats will issue licenses only to local applicants having SSC/COI/landed parcha, Khatian while Nagar panchayts will issue to the eligible parties.
The programme included an open session of interactions and deliberations between the participants and resource persons.

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