In a landmark move the Government of Maharashtra granted the long standing demand of hoteliers and restaurateurs and abolished the sign board licenses. A recent circular issued by the Government of Maharashtra has done away with the need for retail establishments to obtain licence for advertising their own business at their operational premises. The circular has also indicated that along with the licence, retailers will no longer have to pay for the fee either. The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) which has been leading advocacy for the cancellation of the license has welcomed the move and has commended the Government for taking progressive steps towards facilitating the ease of doing business policy.“The move comes on the back of the ‘Model Shops and Establishments Bill’ which the Union Cabinet has recently given a nod to which essentially allows establishments to remain operational 24/7. Although, the State Government is yet to finalize on introducing this bill in Maharashtra, the abolishment of the sign board licence is an encouraging indication of the Government’s outlook towards ease of doing business,” says Mr. Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI.
The new circular states that sky-signs are mainly set up for advertising, which is an integral component of every retail store. As long as the sky sign is fixed in and out of the self-owned, leased or mortgaged premise of the retail store, by the trader advertising his own business it shall not attract the requirement of permission of the Commissioner or Chief Officer or Competent Authority and payment of fees.“The HRAWI has been tirelessly following-up with the Government for many years, including the previous Governments, to rationalize laws and policies that are either archaic or simply irrelevant today. The abolishment of this licence is welcomed by the association and the industry,” concludes Mr. Malkani.
About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)
The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 66 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of budget hotels. With around 1300 members across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.