The Act aims at protecting the livelihood of street vendors via regulating street vending. The major features of the Act include –
Any person intending to undertake street vending needs to register with the Town Vending Committee (TVC).He may then apply for a vending certificate that will be issued based on various criteria.
The state government shall frame a scheme for street vendors.The local authority shall, in consultation with the planning authority, frame a street vending plan once every five years.
The TVC comprises of the municipal commissioner, representatives of street vendors, local authority, planning authority, local police, resident welfare association and other traders associations. This Act does not apply to Railways land, premises and trains.
The issues with the Act include-
This is a central diktat in concurrent list (Street vending), hence it has overridden state laws and this one size fits all approach is problematic.
The Act does not require the stakeholders to be consulted while framing street vending plans, which is in contrast to decentralized and participative planning approach.
The recommendation of standing committee to include railways in the Act has been ignored.
Many states are yet to frame guidelines based on the Act, which is a biggest impediment in the success of this law.
