New Delhi, 4th July 2025:
The India Street Vendor Forum 2025 concluded today at the Constitution Club of India after two days of intensive dialogue, learning, and collective action planning. The landmark event brought together street vendor leaders from over 100 cities across the country, creating an unprecedented platform for grassroots voices to shape policies and strategies that impact their lives and livelihoods.
The second day of the Forum featured rich discussions on key issues, including the nationwide survey on street vendors (Survey COV), strengthening social and financial security through the “PM SVANidhi se Samridhi Tak” initiative, engaging young street vendors through NASVI Yuwa, and building cooperative models for better organization and empowerment.
Director of PM SVANidhi, Shri Raj Kumar, joined the session on social and financial security, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring dignified livelihoods for street vendors.
The Forum was graced by many eminent personalities. Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur shared insights on the evolving street food culture in India, while renowned advocate Shri Prashant Bhushan emphasized the legal rights and entitlements of vendors under the Street Vendors Act. Shri Pushpesh Pant renowned Indian food critic and historian, mentioned in the street food culture session that ‘In India, food means street food’. Every panellist’s participation added tremendous value and visibility to the cause.
The India Street Vendor Forum 2025 put forward a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen the rights and livelihoods of street vendors. Key recommendations included pursuing legal interventions to address gaps in the Street Vendors Act, 2014, establishing hierarchical appellate mechanisms where grievance committees are non-functional, and promoting a bottom-up, inclusive policy approach. The Forum emphasized using social media to expose abuse of power, building positive narratives about street food culture, and improving hygiene practices through practical measures like induction cooking. Vendors were urged to maintain thorough documentation—such as IDs, challans, photographs, and communication records—to strengthen legal safeguards. Additionally, the need for financial literacy, including consistent income tax filing to access formal credit, was highlighted. Collaboration with the Ministry of MSME and leveraging training programs were underscored to transform vendors into entrepreneurs, ensuring that policy reflects on-ground realities and supports vendors in both spirit and action.
Reflecting on the outcome of the event, Arbind Singh, National Coordinator of NASVI, stated: “This Forum has demonstrated that when street vendors stand together, they become an unstoppable force for change. Their courage, resilience, and ideas will transform our cities and economies. The time has come to move beyond tokenism and recognize street vendors as the entrepreneurs and nation builders they are.”
The India Street Vendor Forum 2025 was not just an event but a milestone—where powerful suggestions, future planning, and actionable commitments were forged to secure the rights, dignity, and prosperity of millions of street vendors across India. The event was sponsored by sustainability partners like OIL India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, GAIL (India) Limited, ONGC, and supported by Development Alternatives.
