A day later, Himachal Pradesh’s Public Works Department and Urban Development Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, said he had issued orders that food shop owners in the state would have to express their views. ID cards in restaurants and retail storesthe Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu distanced itself from his statement on Thursday.
“Until now, the state government has not made a decision regarding the mandatory display of name plates or any other form of identification by vendors at their outlets. “The government is committed to solving the problems affecting street vendors and will consider all proposals before making a decision,” said a state government spokesperson.
A government spokesperson said a committee headed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan has been formed to look into the policy of street vendors and includes Congress and BJP legislators. The committee members include Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and MPs Anil Sharma, Satpal Satti, Randhir Sharma, and Harish Janartha.
The spokesperson said that suggestions have been received from various public bodies regarding the policy, and all aspects of the matter are being considered with sensitivity. The committee will review the proposals from various stakeholders before giving its recommendations to the state government on the matter. He added that the final decision will be taken only after careful consideration of these recommendations by the cabinet.
Meanwhile, Vikramaditya Singh, who has gone to Delhi to attend the National Urban Convention, was not available for comment.
On Wednesday, speaking to The Indian Express, Vikramaditya, CM Virbhadra Singh’s six-year-old son, said, “Our decisions are not driven by any other government. The display of identity cards will be mandatory for all vendors – be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian or any other community. There are instructions to us from the high court to make sales areas, sales policy in the state. The recent riots are related to the lack of a strict sales policy. “
Vikramaditya’s comments came a day after the Uttar Pradesh government made it mandatory for food outlets across the country to disclose the name and address of employees, owners and managers.
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