If vendors are legalized, they can become tomorrow’s shopkeepers

PM Narendra Modi announced a Rs20 lakh crore package to overcome the damage caused by Covid-19 to the economy. The uniqueness of this move is related to street vendors. It is particularly impressive because these are daily earners and have lost their earnings for almost two months. There are nearly fifty lakh vendors all over India and Modi proposes to give them up to Rs10,000 each as a loan (in all, amounting to Rs5,000 crore) through banks.
No government in the last seventy years bothered to look into their problems and do something for their welfare. It is for the first time that this class has been taken note of for direct financial assistance from the central governmental.
There is no law that controls street vendors. They are not covered even by the Shop Act. Their vending activities are illegal and need to be legalized by the local self governments to make them feel like honourable citizens.
Yet they carry on with their business of vending by standing at some particular place on a footpath or any other area. Because they are not authorized to carry out their business on roads, they are at the mercy of corrupt police officials, musclemen and municipal tax collectors who exploit them almost every day by free eating/purchasing and ‘collection’. Hence their income is low.
It can be a very good source of income for local governments if vendors are registered and legalized. It will save them from exploitation.
The main objection against them from the elite is regarding their looks and the places from where they operate in large numbers. Through registration, local governments should make it compulsory for them to use official carts and uniforms. This will automatically improve their business.
All classes of people eat from vendors. For singles, they are the best alternatives to hotels and restaurants. Their legalization is useful because they provide tasty and a variety of food items that are very economical. It suits many and vendors get business. Many mobile vendors sell vegetables or fruits. It is useful for many and particularly the aged.
Tea vendors are the most popular because many cannot afford going to hotels. With the rising population of unmarried youngsters, these vendors provide timely food items and that too at a convenient place. Hotels can’t provide this service.
In short, vendors are useful to the society at large. Objections against them can be done away with by their registration and enforcement of discipline.
Many forget that the ancient Indian civilization welcomed street vendors and weekly markets. People used to throng such places. It characterized the culture of the place and visitors enjoyed going there. With colourfully-designed carts and proper uniform, the old and cultural outlook can be brought back to the cities. It will revolutionize the concept of urban beauty. Street vendors will also get the opportunity to become tomorrow’s shop keepers.
Why can’t such khau-gallis with vendors be set up at many different spots to cater to the rising needs and requirements. Many footpaths serve no purpose as they are already occupied by these very street vendors, illegally. Why not get tax from them and avoid corruption? It amounts to converting the de facto situation into de jure situation.
(The writer is a former chairman of VNIT)