Answer:

Introduction:

The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, represents a significant legislative step toward securing the rights and livelihoods of street vendors in India. This law aims to establish a framework that balances the need for public order and economic activity, addressing long-standing issues faced by street vendors.

Body:

Key Provisions of the Act

The Act introduces several key provisions aimed at supporting street vendors while regulating the sector:

• Town Vending Committees (TVCs): These committees are crucial for managing street vending zones and are responsible for registering vendors, ensuring that no street vendor is evicted without a proper survey, and issuing vending certificates that legalize the vendors’ activities.
• Vending Zones: The Act mandates the demarcation of vending and no-vending zones within a city, providing street vendors with specified areas to conduct their business without the threat of eviction.
• Rights and Duties of Vendors: Street vendors are granted certain rights, including protection against arbitrary eviction and the right to a designated vending area, subject to a systematic registration process. They also have duties like maintaining cleanliness and not obstructing public pathways.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanisms: The Act provides mechanisms for addressing grievances involving street vendors, involving consultation with the TVCs which include representatives from various stakeholders like vendors themselves, local authorities, and the police.

Effectiveness and Challenges

While the Act is progressive in its approach, its implementation has faced significant challenges:

• Uneven Implementation Across States: The effectiveness of the Act varies significantly across different states due to differential implementation of its provisions. Many states have been slow to constitute TVCs, and the lack of a consistent approach leads to vulnerabilities among street vendors, including continued evictions without proper notice​​.
• Lack of Comprehensive Vendor Surveys: Despite the requirement, comprehensive surveys of street vendors have not been systematically conducted in many regions, leading to many vendors not receiving vending certificates and thus remaining vulnerable to legal and social insecurities​.
• Integration with Other Policies: There are gaps in the integration of street vending regulations with broader urban planning and social security policies, which affects the overall effectiveness of the support mechanisms intended for vendors under schemes like PM SVANidhi and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission​.

Suggested Measures for Improvement

To enhance the effectiveness of the Act, several measures could be considered:

• Strengthening TVCs: Enhancing the operational efficiency of TVCs by ensuring they are fully functional and inclusive of vendor representatives can help address the vendors’ issues more effectively.
• Regular Monitoring and Assessment: Implementing regular monitoring and assessment mechanisms, similar to the Swachh Survekshan, to evaluate the effectiveness of street vending plans and encourage best practices among urban local bodies​​.
• Enhanced Integration with Social Security Schemes: Strengthening the linkages between street vending policies and broader social security and welfare schemes would ensure that vendors are adequately covered against risks and enjoy a fuller range of government benefits​​.

Conclusion:

The Street Vendors Act, 2014, is a landmark in the formal recognition and regulation of street vending in India. However, for the Act to fully achieve its objectives, focused efforts are required to address implementation gaps and ensure that the intended benefits are equitably distributed among all street vendors. This calls for a collaborative approach among all stakeholders, including government bodies, vendor associations, and civil society, to foster an environment where the rights and livelihoods of street vendors are adequately protected and supported.

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