Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey and urban development minister Prem Kumar at the seminar in Patna on Thursday. Picture Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Jan. 20: Urban development minister Prem Kumar today promised to implement the National Policy for Street Vendors in the state.

Kumar made the declaration while addressing a meeting of 7,000 vendors, organised by National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) at SK Memorial Hall.

Though the state government has made promises to regularise and ensure the welfare of the deprived vendors earlier, nothing has been done till date, said a source.

Kumar said: “The state government will soon implement the policy soon so that thousands of vendors can live with dignity and self-respect. A draft bill has been prepared and it will soon be implemented in the whole state. Vendors would also be given housing facilities under the scheme.”

Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey was also present on the occasion.

Arvind Singh, the national co-ordinator of Nasvi, said: “Once the policy is implemented, the town vending committees would be formed. Then every city would be divided into vending and no-vending zones. Third, the names of the vendors would be registered with the government. Finally, they will pay taxes directly to the state government.”