Karnataka was amongst the first states to frame specific laws for street vendors and their welfare, way back in 2017 when S Siddaramaiah became the state’s chief minister for the first time. Not only framing the legislation, but the same was implemented for their benefit, with street vending committees formed after elections to the bodies across the state.

In a letter to the Leader of Opposition and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi, the Karnataka Chief Minister assured him that all his concerns of the street vendors would be addressed, including those aimed at providing various facilities for the education of the wards of the street vendors and also help them with their business promotion efforts by giving them vending carts.

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Karnataka is among the first states to frame street vendors rules after a detailed survey of street vendors, Siddaramaiah said, and added, the election of street vendors committees took place in 2017 and 2019, but unfortunately, the same could not take place during 2020 and later, as there was no Congress government. After his return as the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said the process was kicked off again, “We have ensured that the fresh street vendor survey happens again as per the Street Vendors Act. The survey of street vendors is completed, and 27,655 vendors have been registered in the city of Bengaluru. The elections of the town vending committee will be completed in April 2025.

As many as 189 different kinds of vending zones have been identified in which over 1,000 vending spots have been marked. Similarly, the state has initiated various welfare schemes for the street vendors which focus on points of importance such as education of their wards, health, benefits, housing, and skill training to enable them for better employment opportunities, the Chief Minister said.

“Similarly, we are also in the process of equipping them with electric vending vehicles to improve their mobility for better business opportunities for them in the year 2024-25. Beneficiaries have already been identified for providing different kinds of vending cards to them. I would like to assure you that the state government of Karnataka is committed to the overall well-being of the street vendors and we will ensure their holistic development,” Siddaramaiah said in his letter to the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.