Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
In a major Diwali bonanza for shopkeepers and small traders, the Punjab Government on Thursday launched the ‘Meri Dukan, Mere Naam’ scheme, under which eligible shopkeepers running shops on rent or lease in Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats can obtain ownership rights.
Announcing the scheme at a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains said shopkeepers who can establish legal possession of their shops for at least 12 years prior to April 1, 2020, will be eligible to apply.
Applications can be submitted at the concerned Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council offices till November 6, 2026. Bains said the process will be time-bound, with an SDM-level committee scrutinising applications, while a DC-level committee will determine the price. The concerned local bodies will subsequently pass the required resolution.
Under the scheme, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) applicants with an annual income below ₹3 lakh will pay 12.5% of the collector rate. Those in the Lower Income Group (LIG) with an income between ₹3 lakh and ₹8 lakh will pay 25%, while Middle Income Group (MIG) applicants earning ₹8 lakh to ₹15 lakh will pay 50%. Applicants with an annual income above ₹15 lakh will have to pay 100% of the collector rate.
The concessional rates will apply to shops measuring less than 50 square metres.
Bains clarified that sub-tenants will not be eligible under the scheme. Occupants of shops or structures located on parks, streets or public utilities will also not be regularised.
He said the documentation process has been kept simple, with applicants allowed to submit valid documents such as GST certificates, electricity bills and voter cards to establish their possession.
Calling the initiative a historic step, Bains said previous governments had made promises to traders but failed to implement them. He said the present government had worked for months to formulate the scheme and provide long-awaited ownership rights to small shopkeepers.
Describing the initiative as a Diwali gift to the trading community, Bains said the government wanted to provide small shopkeepers with legal security, dignity and a sense of ownership. He added that the scheme reflects the Bhagwant Mann-led government's commitment to supporting the state's small traders and shopkeepers.
