Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory administration has unveiled a scheme for protection of livelihood of street vendors and regulation of vending in the UT.
Documents in possession of Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that the scheme has been rolled out under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
The scheme will be applicable to all the municipal bodies/Municipalities in the Union Territory of the Jammu and Kashmir from the date as may be notified by the government in the official gazette.
As per its guidelines, the town vending committee of the concerned urban local body such as Municipal Corporation or municipal council shall conduct the survey of street vendors itself or get it done through suitable agency.
The survey should be conducted to identify all existing street vendors within the area of its jurisdiction and the natural markets developed over the years by holding a spot verification.
The survey shall also record the identity of the street vendor, whether the vendor is a mobile vendor or a stationary vendor of a lane, sidewalk, footpath, pavement, public park or in any other public place or private area.
According to the scheme guidelines, a person shall be eligible for grant of certificate of vending if he is a citizen of India and has no other means of livelihood except street vending.
He shall also have completed the age of eighteen years or such other age as the government may prescribe.
The documents further state that the town vending committee shall fix vending fees depending on the footfall of the area but such fees shall be as prescribed by the government from time to time.
“Every year ten per cent fees shall be increased. The municipality may collect vending fees annually if it deems fit,” reads the documents. (KNO)
