A Bill that provides for protection of livelihoods rights, social security of street vendors and for regulation of urban street vending in the country--the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014--was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Moving the Bill for consideration and Passing in the House, Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Girija Vyass said street vendors constitute an integral part of the urban economy and not only a source of self-employment to the poor in cities and towns but also a means to provide affordable as well as convenient services to the urban population.
The Provisions of the Bill are aimed at creating "conducive" atmosphere for street vendors, and designated spaces for them to carry out their business.
The Bill provides for constitution of a Town Vending Authority in each Local Authority, which is the fulcrum of the Bill, for implementing the provisions of the Bill, survey of all existing street vendors, and subsequent survey at-least once in every five years, and issue of certificate of vending to all the street vendors identified in the survey, with preference to SC, ST, OBC, women, persons with disabilities and minorities.
All existing street vendors, identified in the survey, will be accommodated in the vending zones subject to a norm conforming to 2.5 per cent of the population of the ward or zone or town or city and where the number of street vendors identified are more than the holding capacity of the vending zone, the Town Vending Committee (TVC) is required to carry out a draw of lots for issuing the certificate of vending for that vending zone and the remaining persons will be accommodated in any adjoining vending zone to avoid relocation.
The Bill also provides guidelines that will have to be followed for the relocation, eviction and confiscation of goods and establishment of an independent dispute redressal mechanism under the chairmanship of retired judicial officers to maintain impartiality towards grievance redressal of street vendors.
To safeguard vendors against excesses by the Police, Section 29 of the Bill provides for protection of street vendors from harassment by police and other authorities and provides for an overriding clause to ensure they carry on their business without the fear of harassment by the authorities under any other law.
