Parliament passes Street Vendors bill to protect rights of urban street vendors

A bill to regulate street vending activities and protect the rights of urban street vendors were among three measures adopted by Parliament on Thursday.

Lok Sabha, which had earlier passed the legislations, gave approvals to minor amendments by Rajya Sabha, which okayed them earlier. The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014, which provides for protection of livelihoods rights, social security of street vendors was passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday. While Rajya Sabha was passed it on Wednesday.

The bill provides for constitution of a Town Vending Authority in each Local Authority to ensure participatory decision making for aspects like determination of natural market, identification of vending zones, preparation of street vending plan and survey of street vendors among others. Another Bill seeking to provide secretarial staff and other benefits to former governors got the nod of the Lok Sabha after minor changes. The Governors (Emoluments, Allowances and Privileges) Amendment, Bill, 2013 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Keeping in view the high constitutional office that a governor holds, the government proposed to provide secretarial assistance to ex-governors. Former governors at present do not get any pension or post-retirement benefits except medical facilities as per rules issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. There are provisions that the person will not be eligible for such secretarial assistance for the period during which he is re-appointed to the office of governor or elected to Parliament or the state legislature or appointed to any office of profit under the Union or a state government.

The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was also passed by Lok Sabha. Through the legislation, government has converted the Bengal Engineering and Science University in Sibpur, West Bengal, into an institute of national importance. This Bill was also passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.