Law to regulate hawking rights soon

NEW DELHI - The government Monday assured street vendors that it will soon frame laws to regulate hawking rights in five states including Delhi.

The assurance was given by P.K. Mohanty, head of the government’s city modernisation programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), when he met activists working for vendors’ community here.

Activists met officials here to discuss challenges facing the vendors and ways to tackle them.

Ranjit Abhigyan, programme manager of National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), said Mohanty assured them that steps would be taken to ensure that “legislations will be framed to safeguard the rights of street vendors in at least five states, including Delhi”.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner K.S. Mehra told the delegation that initiatives would be taken to implement the provisions of National Policy for Street Vendors that was framed in 2004.

The objective of the policy is to promote a supportive environment to street vendors.

The consultation was held at the backdrop of the Supreme Court last month asking the government to bring in a law latest by June next year and regulate hawking right.