Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah Monday moved to assure Rahul Gandhi, opposition leader in Lok Sabha, that his govt is committed to the holistic development and well-being of street vendors in the state. The assurance came in response to a letter from Rahul, who raised concerns over the condition of street vendors in Karnataka.
In his reply, Siddaramaiah reminded the former Congress president that Karnataka was among the first states to implement Street Vendors Rules — a move initiated during his previous tenure as chief minister from 2013 to 2018.
He pointed out that major steps such as a survey of street vendors and elections to town vending committees were first carried out under the Congress govt in 2017 and 2019. “The process was due to be repeated in 2022, but unfortunately, it was not carried out,” Siddaramaiah said. He said the Congress govt, after assuming office in 2023, promptly resumed the exercise under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. “We ensured that a fresh survey of street vendors was conducted as per the Street Vendors Act, 2014,” he said.
CM said the survey has now been completed, with 27,655 vendors registered in Bengaluru alone. Elections to town vending committees are scheduled to be completed in April 2025. Siddaramaiah also highlighted that 189 different types of vending zones have been identified across Bengaluru, with 10,142 specific vending spots earmarked.
To further support the community, the state has launched various welfare initiatives focusing on education, skill development, health and housing. “Additionally, we are in the process of equipping them with electric vending vehicles to enhance mobility and create better business opportunities. In 2024-25, 3,778 beneficiaries have been identified to receive different types of vending carts,” the CM said.
Rahul has been critical of the BJP-led central govt, alleging that daily wage earners are bearing the brunt of economic hardship. He had claimed that under the current govt, labourers are “forced to live their lives in poverty and run their households for four days with a day’s earnings”.