Odisha announces financial help for street vendors

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, June 8, announced a financial package for the street vendors who lost their livelihoods during the pandemic. CM Patnaik announced a package of Rs 29.29 crore for 87,657 roadside vendors across 114 municipal areas of the state who were affected due to lockdown.

According to the sources, each vendor will be provided with an assistance of Rs 3,000, which was also done during the last year’s lockdown due to COVID-19. Pratap Sahu, President, Odisha Utha Dokhani Mahasangha, said that the help should be further extended to cover 22 lakh roadside vendors across the state.

Sahu also said that the state government has just covered 87,657 street vendors while the others will continue suffering. He added that the financial help should also be increased to Rs 5,000 per vendor.