Centre to take stock of implementation of Street Vendors Act

Stating that the government is committed to providing an enabling environment to street vendors, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri on Tuesday said a workshop will be held in the next three months wherein urban development ministers of all states will review the implementation of the Street Vendors Act.

"In the next three months, we will hold a review workshop with UD ministers of all states in Delhi on the implementation of the Act," Puri said at a convention of National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) held in the Capital on Tuesday.

All issues concerning the implementation of the Act will be discussed at the workshop, he said, adding. "if there is discrepancy in its implementation in any state, it will be addressed."

The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 seeks to regulate street vendors in public areas, provides for a  certification of vending, protects vendors against unlawful eviction and lays down the their rights and obligations. It recognises that street vendors are an "integral part of our urban economy"

The Act calls for constitution of a town vending committee in each local authority to ensure that provisions of the Act are being complied with. It is this committee that identifies the vending zones, prepares a street vending plan etc.

As per the Act, respective states and union territories have to notify the rules and schemes for ensuring its implementation. So far 30 states and union territories have notified rules and 21 states have notified their schemes under the Act.

Puri informed that his ministry is implementing the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM). The DAY-NULM aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households and enables them to access gainful self- employment and skilled wage employment opportunities.

Planned urbanisation undertaken by us takes into account the concerns of street vendors & will have designated zones where vendors can carry on their businesses with security & dignity.

This sector also needs to shrug off the 'unorganised’ tag & become an 'organised’ activity. pic.twitter.com/oSekPJYhTO

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— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 18, 2018

Let us be realistic. With a chaat wallah here, a sabzi wallah there or a corner stall selling trinkets, street vending is an important component of urban life. It forms the support system which city dwellers need to carry on with their daily lives. pic.twitter.com/fqEm9AYOvP

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 18, 2018

vandana.ramnani@nw18.com