Identity cards likely to become mandatory for Himachal street vendors, committee reaches consensus

In a significant move, identity cards may soon be made mandatory for street vendors in Himachal Pradesh.

A consensus on this matter was reached during a meeting of the Street Vendors Committee, held at the Assembly Secretariat in Shimla. The committee, chaired by Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, has decided to seek legal opinion before finalising the proposal. The Urban Development Department provided a detailed presentation on the Street Vendor Policy, introduced by the Central Government in 2014 and adopted by the Himachal Pradesh Government in 2016.

Discussions during the meeting included the extension of the policy to cover not only urban street vendors but also those operating in rural areas. Additionally, the committee explored the idea of creating designated zones for street vendors to help regulate their operations.

Harshvardhan Chauhan stated that senior members from both the ruling and opposition parties contributed valuable suggestions. However, before taking any definitive steps, the committee will solicit input from street vendors and the general public. A 15-day period has been set for collecting these suggestions and objections. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for November 4, where these public inputs and legal perspectives will be discussed.

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BJP MLA Randhir Sharma pointed out that the Street Vendors Act was initially implemented in 2014, which included a provision for vendors to display name plates. Some amendments were made in 2016, and further changes could be introduced if necessary. He also mentioned that while the act was implemented in the Shimla Municipal Corporation, its enforcement has been lackluster.

The Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Bhupendra Atri, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the need for proper implementation.

Committee members, including Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh and others supported the proposal of issuing identity cards and licences to street vendors for easier identification and regulation. Principal Secretary Urban Development Devesh Kumar and Assembly Secretary Yashpal Sharma were also present during the discussions.