The government has decided to take up a State-wide project for the rehabilitation of street vendors. The first phase of the project will be implemented in all district headquarters except Idukki. In Kochi, two places have been selected for the scheme.
A high-level meeting convened by Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamkuzhi Ali here on Monday decided to set up a State-level coordination committee and district committees for the project. The Kudumbasree Mission will take up a survey to implement the scheme under the National Urban Renewal Mission.
Town vending committees will be constituted to create a database of hawkers and hawking locations.
It is estimated that there are about 2,00,000 street vendors in Kerala.
The State-level coordination committee will comprise representatives of trade unions, development councils, and the Kudumbasree Mission, while the district committees will have Collectors, district town planning officers, and PWD officials, police, and local body representatives as members.
An official press note here said the government had earmarked Rs.3.5 crore for rehabilitating hawkers.
The project to be implemented in 14 cities would seek to prevent the exploitation of street vendors. Special schemes would be formulated to protect their interests and livelihood, the press note added.
