CM Siddaramaiah assures Rahul Gandhi of holistic support for street vendors in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday assured Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that the state government is committed to the overall well-being of street vendors and will ensure their holistic development.

This assurance came after Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to the Chief Minister, expressed his concerns regarding the condition of street vendors in Karnataka.

In his response, Siddaramaiah informed Rahul Gandhi that Karnataka was among the first states to frame its Street Vendors Rules, a process initiated during his tenure as Chief Minister between 2013 and 2018.

He highlighted that the survey of street vendors and the elections to the various Town Vending Committees were conducted for the first time in 2017 and 2019, respectively, during the previous Congress government in Karnataka.

The same process was due to be repeated in 2022, but unfortunately, it was not carried out.

"But as soon as we returned to power in the state, we ensured that a fresh survey of street vendors was conducted as per the Street Vendors Act, 2014," he said.

According to Siddaramaiah, the survey has been completed, and 27,655 vendors have been registered in the city of Bengaluru.

Elections to the Town Vending Committees will be completed in April 2025.

A total of 189 different types of vending zones have been identified, within which 10,142 vending spots have been earmarked.

He added that the state has also initiated various welfare schemes for street vendors, focusing on key areas such as education for their children, health benefits, housing, and skill training to improve their employment prospects.

"Additionally, we are in the process of equipping them with electric vending vehicles to enhance their mobility and create better business opportunities. In the year 2024–25, 3,778 beneficiaries have been identified to receive different types of vending carts," he added.