By Abirami Sekar | August 23, 2024

The Tamil Nadu Haircut Association, Chennai division, sent a petition to the state government, on August 9, 2024, requesting to roll back the increased trade licence fees, as it would decrease the revenue of salon businesses.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) passed a resolution on July 30, 2024, increasing the trade licence fees by three times for non-AC salons and by two-thirds for AC salons per year. This resolution will come into effect from September 1, 2024.

A trade licence is a permit issued by the state government or municipal corporation to operate a business premise.

Currently, non-AC and AC salons pay Rs. 200 and Rs. 500 respectively per year as licence fees. Post resolution, they will pay Rs. 2500 in three years.

“The small-scale salon owners earn very little. If they don’t roll back the fees, we will protest” said T.M. Arun, Founder, Tamil Nadu Haircut Association, Chennai division.

Around 30 lakh families living below the poverty line have been engaged in the barbering business for generations. The hiked trade licence fees must be rolled back to offer these small businesses some relief, said the petition.

The trade licence fees for several businesses have been increased to meet an additional demand of Rs. 9 crore for the city developmental projects, said M. Govindaraju, Financial Adviser, GCC.