(a) the number of street hawkers and vendors living below the poverty line, State-wise;
(b) the authority regulating street hawkers and vendors in the country;
(c) whether there is a National Policy for street hawkers and vendors;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) if not, whether the Government propose to introduce laws regulating hawkering activity in order to safeguard the interests of hawkers and vendors; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN EMPLOYMENT & POVERTY ALLEVIATION( KUMARI SELJA )
(a): No such data is maintained by the Government.
(b): The States/Union Territories regulate Street Hawkers and
Vendors through appropriate local authorities.
(c)&(d): Yes, Sir. Salient features of the National Policy on
Urban Street Vendors are at Annexure.
(e)&(f): Does not arise.
ANNEXURE
ANNEXUXRE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) & (d) OF LOK SABHA
USQ.NO. 235 FOR 06.07.2004.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NATIONAL POLICY ON URBAN STREET VENDORS.
This Policy aims to ensure that Urban Street Vendors, an
important segment of the urban population, find recognition for
their contribution to society. The Policy is conceived as a
major initiative for urban poverty alleviation by support to
dignified livelihood. The basic objectives of the Policy are:
- To give vendors legal status by amending, enacting,
repealing and implementing appropriate laws and providing
legitimate hawking zones in urban development/zoning plans.
- To provide facilities for appropriate use of identified
space including the creation of hawking zones in the urban
development/zoning plans.
- To eschew imposing numerical limits on access to public
spaces by discretionary licenses and instead moving to nominal
fee based regulation of access, where market forces like price,
quality and demand will determine the number of vendors that can
be sustained. Such a demand cannot be unlimited.
- To make Street vendors a special component of the urban
development/zoning plans by treating them as an integral and
legitimate part of the urban distribution system.
- To promote self-compliance amongst Street vendors.
- To promote organizations of Street vendors e.g.
Unions/Co-operatives/Associations and other forms of
organization to facilitate their empowerment.
- To set up participatory mechanisms with representation
from urban vendors` organizations,
(Unions/Co-operatives/Associations),Voluntary organizations,
local authorities, the police, Residents Welfare Association
(RWA) and others for orderly conduct of urban vending
activities.
- To take measures for promoting a better future for child
vendors by making appropriate interventions for their
rehabilitation and schooling.
- To facilitate/promote social security (pension,insurance
etc.) and access to credit for Street vendors through promotion
of SHGs/Co-operatives/Federations/Micro-Finance Institutions
(MFIs) etc.
2. The Policy recommends that the Centre and concerned States
should amend the Police Act and Police Rules/Regulations as are
applicable.
3. The State Governments should also remove the restrictive
provisions in the Municipal Acts and make street vendors
inclusive in the city plan/cityscape. Similar action if
necessary, would have to be taken by the Development Authority
for Development Areas.
4. All State Governments should ensure that institutional
arrangements, legislative frameworks and other necessary actions
achieve conformity with the national Policy for Street Vendors.