Uniforms for city vendors

BHUBANESWAR: Traders in vending zones here would soon be given uniforms by the state government. The state housing and urban development (H&UD) department has asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to start the process.
"The vendors will look like professional businessmen once the dress code is introduced. Identity cards would also be issued to registered vendors," said deputy secretary (H&UD) Anjana Panda.
At present, the city has 46 authorized vending zones, conceptualized by the BMC in 2006-07. While over 22,000 roadside vendors live in Bhubaneswar, only about 2,000-odd traders have been accommodated in the existing vending zones.
The department has also decided to reformulate the existing Street Vendor Policy, 2012, after the introduction of Street Vendors Act, 2014, in March by the Centre. "We plan to reformulate our state's policy in the light of Street Vendors Act, 2014, within six months. New features of the Act would be incorporated in the state's street vendor policy," Panda said.
While the state Street Vendor Policy, 2012, is silent on benefits of vendors during relocation, the Street Vendors Act has provisions of providing another vending space to legitimate vendors if they are evicted. Another drawback of the state policy is lack of protection of vendors' rights whereas the Street Vendors Act safeguards vendors from harassment by anti-socials and police.
The department has asked BMC to complete identification and registration of street vendors, who would be given certificates of vending. Other municipal corporations and municipalities in Odisha too have been asked to start the process.
"The government should ensure that all street vendors should be registered and given space to sell. Each of the 67 wards here should have at least three vending zones," said president of All Odisha Roadside Vendors' Association Pratap Kumar Sahu.
BMC is going to construct 19 new vending zones here after the Centre recently agreed to give 100% grant for the Rs 2.4 crore project under the ?challenge fund' scheme. The Union ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation had earlier asked BMC to pay 25% grant. Around 600 street vendors are proposed to be rehabilitated at 19 locations.