Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 27 2010:
State health and Family Welfare and Labour Minister, Ph Parijat today assured that once the National Hawkers' Policy be passed in the Parliament and came into force, state government will also take up all the steps for the welfare of the street venders of the state.
Minister, Parijat was speaking at the meet organised by Roadside Venders Welfare Association in collaboration with National Hawkers' Federation, New Delhi at GM Hall, Imphal as chief guest.
Representatives of bodies of streets venders from other states of the country also took part in the meet.
Parijat who acknowledged the struggle for survival by the street venders in the state said that state government is ready to take up their welfare once the bill for making a National Hawkers' Policy introduced in the Parliament is passed and come into force in the country.
State government will immediately take steps to implement the policy in the state too as soon as the act come into force, said the minister assuring that all the benefits enjoyable by the license holder streets venders like maternity benefits, pension and healthcare compensations will be provided.
Observing at India is a country where the rate of people living below poverty line is very high, he said, the role of streets venders who came out to earn daily breath has a great role in the country's economy.
Considering this, they should be given their rights, he added.
Secretary of National Hawkers' Federation, Shantiman Gosai speaking on the occasion observed that street venders are the second largest working force in the country.
There are around four crore street venders across the country.
However, state governments are doing nothing for their welfare.
They are depriving from their enjoyable rights.
Even though the country claimed raise in GDP growth, the literacy rate is still very low.
As no policy programmes to address the grievances of the working class people, the government at the Centre as well as in the state are like that of capitalists, he added.