The city vendors, continuously at the receiving end of the drives conducted by the Municipal Corporation, could get some relief from the flying squads of the corporation if all goes well and the Street Vendors (Protection of livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill is passed in the current Budget session of Parliament.
If the Act is passed, over 7,000 city vendors including hawkers, cobblers, barbers, juice sellers, cigarette sellers and others will not have to pay high challans from their earnings.
Arbind Singh, National Coordinator, National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) said, “It is expected that the Bill will be passed in the current Parliament Session. Once it is approved, the money earned by the vendors will not go through the drain. They will get registered and they will live a life of dignity.”
If the Bill comes in practice, the vendors will have a specified zone after they get the registration from a wing called Town Vending Committee (TVC).
The TVC committee will be formed in every State of India to register the Vendors. Having a specified zone, the sitting management of these vendors would be improved and they will not be found at every corner of the city.
As far as vendors are concerned, they will get registered and will not suffer the day-to-day humiliation due to the encroachment wings of the Police and MCC (Municipal Corporation).
According to Singh, coordinator NASVI, the registration will save them from exploitation that they face from money lenders too. The facility of banks will be made available to them to help them take loans.
The Bill proposes that anyone over 14 years can register as a street vendor with their respective Town Vending Committee (TVC) upon payment of a one-time fee.
This would allow them to operate in specified vending zones and they would also carry an identity card. “The implementation of the Bill not only makes the cities free from vendors but also provide the vendors a life of dignity. Under this, the Government will help the vendors,” Singh said.
DP Gupta, a 52-year-old city vendor in Sector 26, working since nine years said, “We will be happy if we have an identity. At present, the MCC officials come twice in a month and challan up to `1,000 at one time. If this bill comes in existence, then we people can save a major part of our income.”
Kashmira Singh, MCC Superintendent, however, said, “If Vendors become permanent fixtures, no one will go to the booth markets as people will get what they want near their residence and working area.”