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The Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA) has urged the state government to intervene in what they describe as a burdensome and redundant licensing process.
In a letter addressed to the Minister for Municipal Administration, K N Nehru, the association highlighted the growing financial and administrative strain placed on pharmaceutical traders across the state. The appeal comes at a time when the association seeks to streamline operations for its members under the current administration.
The core of the grievance lies in the annual trade license fees recently mandated by several municipalities and municipal corporations. According to the TNCDA, these local body requirements are being enforced despite the fact that drug store owners already pay professional taxes to the government. The association argues that these overlapping charges create a system of ‘multi-point taxation’ that complicates the ease of doing business for small and large pharmacies alike.
Signed by general secretary G Ashok, the representation emphasizes that pharmacists are already heavily regulated through existing mandatory drug licenses. The requirement to constantly obtain and renew additional local trade licenses is seen as an unnecessary hurdle. The association stated that these repetitive processes cause great hardship to the traders who are already fulfilling their primary licensing obligations to the health and drug control departments.
The pharma trade body represents approximately 50,000 wholesalers and retailers across Tamil Nadu. Led by president S A Ramesh, the organization maintains a strong stance of cooperation with the government but insists that the removal of these specific local fees is essential for the welfare of the traders’ community. The letter stresses that the current leadership of the state has a history of protecting the interests of traders and hopes this tradition continues.
The formal request, dated February 7, 2026, has also been forwarded to the Principal Secretary of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department for further review. By involving the highest levels of the department, the association hopes to secure a uniform policy change that would apply to all corporations and municipalities throughout the state.
Last week, in a significant international move, the TNCDA petitioned US President Donald Trump to advocate for a global ban on the online sale of medicines. This appeal follows the US Drug Enforcement Administration's ‘Operation Meltdown’, which exposed the lethal risks of unregulated digital pharmacies linked to transnational criminal organizations.
Simultaneously, the association urged the state chief minister M K Stalin to address broader welfare and fiscal concerns, including the abolition of the 18 per cent GST on life insurance premiums. They requested a more inclusive welfare scheme that extends death benefits to medium and large-scale traders while simplifying the currently inaccessible online registration portal. Besides, the leadership called for an end to heavy fines imposed by flying squads for minor technical errors during vehicle inspections to ensure fair treatment of traders during transit.
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