MCC identifies 1,303 street vendors; issues ID cards to 630

Works on food courts at four zones will commence soon: Mayor

The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) on Thursday distributed identity cards to 630 street food vendors under National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM). The move is to bring in professionalism into their trade as per the guidelines of NULM. The MCC has identified 1,303 street vendors in the city and has distributed ID cards to 630 of them who furnished all necessary documents. The remaining vendors will get the cards after they furnish the requisite documents. The vendors identified for rehabilitation have been given identity cards under NULM, which was formed to address the problems of urban street vendors by facilitating access to suitable space for vending, institutional credit, improved skills and social security linkages, said Mayor M J Ravikumar.

A Town Vending Committee, headed by MCC Commissioner, has also been constituted while ward and zonal level committees have been formed to conduct a survey. While the corporators head the ward-level committees, zonal commissioners head zonal committees, said the Mayor. Ravikumar said food vendors should display their ID cards at the stalls and also produce it before the authorities concerned during inspection. The Mayor warned vendors of filing criminal cases if the cards are duplicated. He said vendors should follow rules, maintain hygiene and must abide by the law.

As per the NULM guidelines, various training programmes will be conducted for street vendors. Awareness programmes on Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act, rights and duties, various programmes of the government, about health and hygiene among others will be conducted. Speaking to DH, Mysuru District and City Street Vendors Association president Bhaskar Urs said MCC should provide additional benefits for food vendors. As per the guidelines, vendors are eligible to put up stalls at crowded places without disturbing movement of people.

Food courts
When asked about the establishment of food courts as decided by the MCC at a meeting on September 2, 2015, the Mayor said, the civic body has completed the tender process and works will commence soon. The MCC has identified places at four zones to establish food courts. It has also identified 31 places in the city to provide space to street vendors, he said. Deputy Mayor Rathna Lakshmana, Public Health Standing Committee Chairman Mahadevappa and Corporator Seema Prasad were also present.