Shillong: The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo People (FKJGP) met with Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Deputy Chief Executive Member Stevie M Marak on Monday. The group demanded rigorous enforcement of Trading by Non-Tribal (TNT) licences following widespread reports of regulatory irregularities within the council’s Taxation Department.
FKJGP president Pritam Arengh stated that numerous non-tribal traders and government contractors are currently operating without the mandatory licences required by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The federation argues that these lapses negatively impact the livelihoods of local tribal entrepreneurs and government contractors.
Beyond missing licences, the federation raised concerns regarding the improper renewal of existing permits. Arengh explained that TNT licences should be treated as one-time approvals for specific contracts rather than renewable documents. He noted that while local tribal youths must pay for fresh Professional Tax Clearance Certificates annually, non-tribal firms have been unfairly renewing old licences without following proper procedural updates.
The FKJGP urged the GHADC to immediately revoke all TNT licences that were renewed without specific trade details or declared contract amounts. They also requested that the council mandate new applications for these individuals to ensure all business activities are transparent and appropriately taxed.
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