Meghalaya Govt notifies scheme for street vendors
The Government of Meghalaya has notified the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023.
A notification in this regard was issued on October 25. The scheme has been framed under the provisions of the “Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014”.
The scheme aims to protect street vendors and regularize street vending while providing a supportive environment to carry out their vocation.It provides for implementation of a fair and transparent allocation process for vending spaces, ensuring that opportunities are accessible to all without discrimination. It also provides guidelines to adhere to health and safety regulations, ensuring public well-being.
The Scheme also laid down the procedures for identification and registration of street vendors through a transparent in-situ survey which shall be carried out by the respective To~Vending Committees (TVC), within their respective area of jurisdiction. The survey shall be in the digital format through an application which was developed by the Government of Meghalaya.
The data to be captured during the survey shall include details of the street vendors and the nature of trade/vending, time of vending at the location, mode of vending, amongst other things. The survey will be conducted in a phased manner and the first round of survey wil!h be conducted in Khyndailad, Jail-Road, Barik, Malki-Dhankheti, Laitumkhrah and Polo from 4 to 16th December 2023.
According to provisions of the scheme, the street vendor to be eligible for registration shall have to provide identity proof, proof of stay in Meghalaya for at least three years, and proof of being engaged in street vending in the same locality (same city for mobile vendors) for at least six months to prior to the date of notification of the survey.
The registration of a street vendor shall be valid for five years. After having registered all the eligible street vendors, the TVC shall issue a Certificate of Vending (CoV) subject to availability of vending space as well as a unique ID card to the eligible street vendors which shall be valid for one year. The CoV alone is the document which certifies the right of a street vendor to vend in a specified area.
Simultaneously, the Government and the TVC’s are also preparing City/town Street Vending Plans which will demarcate the vending and no vending zones in various locations across the city/towns.
The Government of Meghalaya envisions a State where vibrant street vending is a hallmark of our cities and towns. The scheme is a testament to the State’s commitment to empower Iocal entrepreneurs and strengthen our communities. It will not only provide economic opportunities but also improve the quality of life for our citizens.
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