13 Mar , 2021 By : kanchan Joshi
NEW DELHI: The commerce ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, organised a competition for designing street vending carts for new and cost effective models, keeping in mind the sensitivities of a post-covid world. NID students in Ahmedabad, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh took part in the design hackathon.
After a final selection, the ministry proposes to provide these models in mass scale to street vendors. “The objective of the competition was to design a new and cost-effective solution for a modern vending cart to cope with the recent challenges emerging due to covid-19. The cart should also provide better business prospects in the post covid-19 world. Design should also consider issues and opportunities for street vendors so that they can sell better with improved efficiency and pride. It should address the needs of all segments of society," the commerce ministry said in a statement.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, the requirements from a cart have evolved in terms of packaging of goods, display, billing, hygiene, foldability, compactness, mobility, accessories like dustbin, seat etc., provision for shade, lighting, power supply etc.
Indian street vendors are going through a tough phase due to covid-19 scenario. Loss of customers and demand, restriction of mobility, hygiene issues, and competitive challenges are dominant in the present time. “There lies an opportunity for street vendors to innovate their businesses and attract customers adapting to these changes. These street carts could become a turning point for product, storage, mobility and branding point of view," the ministry said.
Under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat package, the government had launched PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme which aims to provide about 50 lakh street vendors collateral free working capital loans of up to Rs10,000 to restart their business post the covid-19 lockdown.
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