Will scrap factory licences: BJP's promise ahead Delhi civic polls

New Delhi: Delhi BJP proclaimed on Thursday that it would scrap factory licences and introduce a simple online process to issue trade and health licenses if voted to power in the civic body polls scheduled on December 4.

BJP had been ruling the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for three consecutive terms. The Corporation was divided into three in 2012 into north, south and east corporations but unified back in 2022.

The BJP Delhi unit president Adesh Gupta said that it would build muli-level parking in major markets to mitigate the vehicle parking-related issues, which were mostly affected by traders.

It also promised that if the BJP wins a majority of the 250 wards in the polls, the party will also de-seal the thousands of properties sealed on account of violation of MPD2021 (Master Plan for Delhi-2021).

In a press conference, Gupta said, "Earlier also we took various steps to ensure transparency and simplify licensing procedures in the MCD, thus doing away with Inspector Raj. This process will be sped up further, and the trade and health licenses will be issued through a simple online process."

He furthered that Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to providing facilities to traders as they need.

Later, Gupta said that under 'Samriddhi Yojana, house tax had been waived off, and traders in unauthorised colonies had been given the option to deposit the tax for one year and avail of the tax dues of the past 17 years.

He also offered that if they came back to power, BJP would make sure that factories in the 30 industrial areas do not have to depend on licenses to boost manufacturing in the city. Though a proposal in this regard has been sent to the state government, no reply has arrived yet. The party will move the issue before the Centre.

Vote counting in the polls was scheduled on December 7.