ID cards sought for regulating vendors and not for identity disclosure: Rajeev Shukla
New Delhi: Amid the heated controversy over display of nameplates outside food outlets and restaurants in Himachal Pradesh, state Congress-in charge Rajeev Shukla on Thursday sought to set records straight and dispel the ‘needless’ row, emanating from the statement of Urban development minister Vikramaditya Singh.
Rajeev Shukla, while speaking to the press, rubbished reports that Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government has ordered all the eateries and street vendors to display the names of their owners and staff.
“No street vendor or eatery owner is mandated to display the names of owners or proprietors,” he said.
The controversy broke out over Himachal Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh’s statement to the media wherein he said that street vendors will have to keep their nameplates and ID cards on display to ensure that cleanliness and hygiene is maintained and consumers have also ‘enough flexibility’ to make their preferred choices.
Himachal Congress in-charge though justified move to collect ID and Aadhaar cards of street vendors.
He said that the verification details of the vendors will help regulate their businesses and also facilitate easy disbursal of licences.
Rejecting reports of an umbrella order to all street vendors, he said that the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister has not passed any order to this effect.
“A committee was formed to give recommendations for regulating the street vendors and for allocating a common place to them,” he pointed out.
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson of Himachal Pradesh government also informed that the committee, comprising both Congress and BJP MLAs, received suggestions from various stakeholders and after reviewing them, it will submit the recommendations to the state administration.
On Wednesday, Vikramaditya Singh said that all the street vendors particularly those selling eatables will have to display their identity.
“This has been done in Uttar Pradesh. We shall also implement it in Shimla,” he said.