Passage of Street Vendors Bill in Rajya Sabha hailed

The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI)Wednesday expressed its happiness over the passage of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2013 in the Rajya Sabha.

"It has the potential to put brakes on exploitation and harassment at the hands of civic officials and the police that millions of street vendors face across cities and towns of the country," said NASVI national president Manali Shah and national coordinator Arbind Singh.

The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last year and was awaiting clearance in the Rajya Sabha before being sent to the president.

Singh said it is a red letter day for millions of street vendors and hawkers of India.

"We trust the president of India would give his assent soon and the legislation would get notified," he said.

With the passage of the bill in parliament, the street vendor leaders who were fasting for the past four days at the Jantar Mantar here also called off their indefinite hunger strike.

The legislation states that at least 2.5 per cent of a city's population would be eligible for getting vending certificates and it would be mandatory to form town and zonal vending committee in each and every city.

Such committees would have 40 percent representation of elected representatives of vendor organisations, 10 per cent of non-governmental organisations while remaining would be town planners, administrators, police and elected people's representatives.

"The association has given a call to take out victory processions across the country," said Singh.