Amit Chandra on Lok Sabha TV

Amit Chandra, Campaign Coordinator of Jeevika: Law, Liberty & Livelihood Campaign was recently featured in a show on Lok Sabha TV where he was talking about struggle of street vendors. Here is a small clip captured in a mobile phone. Here is the link to watch the clip on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIjLEUxA1sk

Centre for Civil Society under it’s ‘Jeevika: Law, Liberty & Livelihood Campaign’ formed a Human Chain urging the government to protect the honest livelihood of poor working in informal sector in partnership with Great India Dream Foundation, Pravah Jaipur Initiative, AIESEC, Rajasthan Abhyudaya Sanstha, National Association of Street Vendors of India and Jaipur Mahanagar Thdai Thela Footpath Vyawasayi Union, at Jal Mahal at 6 PM. Active Citizens of Jaipur and Youth Students of Different colleges also joined the Human Chain.

Mr. Amit Chandra, the Campaign Coordinator of Centre for Civil Society said, “The participation of citizen and youth is very crucial for bringing any kind of social change. We wanted to bring the common citizen out to stand for the livelihood and create a positive environment to enable government to reform the informal sector. Policy reform would ensure protection of livelihood and financial as well as welfare services to the poor working in informal sector such as street vendors, food dhabas, barbars, cycle rickshaw pullers to name a few. The message that we want to pass on to government, media and people is that the street vendors have traditionally been part of social and cultural India and we need to protect this tradition similarly as we have preserved our heritages such as Jal Mahal”

Mr. Ghanshyam Kotwani, Executive Member of National Alliance of Street Vendors of India said, “Street Vendors have to face natural hardships such as rain, sun and cold but they brave it because they have no other alternatives but what really creates problem is the continuous threat and torture of authorities. The stigma attached to us as traffic hazard is also not right. We should be seen as service providers and the one who brings colour, convenience and taste to the life of festival city, Jaipur.”

Mr. Babulal Ramchandani, representative of Jaipur Mahanagar Thdai Thela Footpath Vyawasayi Union at the gathering said, “The Rajasthan Government had introduced a policy for welfare and rehabilitation of street vendors named Pheriwalon Ka Sansar in 2007 which is in effect till date but the Jaipur Municipal Corporation hasn’t implemented this policy. Once the policy is implemented there wouldn’t be a problem of vending and hawking in the city.”

A street play was also done at the beginning of the program showing the hardships of the life of a street vendor. It brought lot of tourists also to come forward and share their view about the issue after which the gathering of around 200 people formed human chain in different shapes and sizes in a very creative and attractive way.

The event was coordinated by Ms. Meenu Nagpal and thank you note was given by Mr. Nitin Dixit at the end.

Amit Chandra
Campaign Coordinator, Centre for Civil Society, D-125, Mahaveer Marg, Ambabari, Jaipur 302012, India
Email: amit@ccs.in, amitchandra2006@gmail.com

Dear All,

We are organizing a Human Chain activity to pass on the message in public and media that we need to protect the means of making livelihood of poor as we have protected our heritages such as Jal Mahal.

We have created an event on facebook too which you can join and invite others to attend the event. Here is the link of the event http://www.facebook.com/amitchandra2006#!/event.php?eid=133309663365211 .

Kindly spread the event information to people in your contact and help us in publicizing the event and do join yourself. We have only two days to go…

Amit Chandra

Sunday on a Saturday!

I went for a talk show today which was organized by Dainik Bhaskar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule University. Heard Mr. Surendra Golcha and Mr. Navratna Kothari. It was good to hear life stories of living legends of Jaipur. Got the insights of our traditional entrepreneur. There has been CSR approach in our business families since long. However, I was also upset to see that they all identify the problem of poor development of the state but hardly could work for solutions. CCS should reach to such well connected people and they might take our ideas forward.

I also watched long awaited film for me, Hrithik and Barbara starer Kites. Had heard lot of criticism but heyyyy... It isn't so bad. Barabara looked beautiful. Hrithik is hot and has really worked hard. Direction, dialogues everything is very good. In fact, I am very impressed with the movie. However, I do agree that end of the story isn't as per what Indian viewers look for. Indian audience wants good to win over devil and wants the hero to fight back even with 100 bullets in his body. Indian viewers have still not been mature enough to accept other than the happy end... For me it was good to see some fresh ideas coming from the movie. So happy ending for me : )

We couldn't submit our memorandum to the Chief Minister Mr Ashok Gehlot after our Dharna on March 18 so the next day morning we went to his residence and submitted our memorandum. These days also we have been running to government offices for the same but very sad to write that nothing has happened so far. It is so disappointing that even after informing the Municipal Corporation about their own duty of taking back their land from the encroachers no step has been taken so far.

We had a very good vendors meet on Saturday in Vidyadhar Nagar market. We had around 40 street vendors all together. These were key vendors from 5 markets Vidyadhar Nagar, Murlipura, Ambabari, Dudh market and 17 no market. Presence of the market secretary, Mr. Keshar Singh made it special for vendors.

It lasted for two hours from 1-30 to 3-30. Mr Sing and I mainly tried to convince vendors as to why they should organize and how giving a shape to their association like cooperative will be beneficial for them. We succeeded in our effort to great extent. Watch out the two pictures.

We have asked the vendors present in the meet to convince all the vendors in their market and to ensure this to happen we decided to keep similar meets in each of other four markets too. Mr Singh has also promised to try to come in those meetings and that is why we have planned these meetings on weekends. We have also fixed up tentative dates too for the meets.

Apr 10: Murlipura

Apr 17: Ambabari

Apr 24: 17 No market

May 01: Dudh market

And we are looking for holding up a big meeting with all the vendors after all the market meets to discuss and start working on giving shape to the Cooperative idea. We are aiming for around 500 vendors to star with.

Meanwhile, I have bought the book on Rajasthan Cooperative Law and going through it J

Amit Chandra

Against Ban on Jugaads in Rajasthan

Let me go against the current waves and yell out I am against the decision of Rajasthan Government of banning JUGAADS. I do understand the concerns of Rajasthan government about the road safety but at the same time I don't think that banning Jugaads will help. Rajasthan Government should also understand how Jugaads are helping poor farmers in rural Rajasthan where the technologies haven't reached and people trying to tackle the problem of transportation with locally made rural Nanoes. State government must have read these article before reaching to a decision on banning Jugaads.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/jugad-the-indigenously-built-lifeline-of-people-in-rural-rajasthan_10068338.html

http://yehhailife.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/jugaad-a-uniquely-indian-life-concept-worth-saluting/

http://www.rockstar4m.com/forum/index.php?forumID=37&ID=952&start=0

Amit Chandra

Dharna by Fruits and Vegetable Vendors

The fruits and vegetable vendors have taken out rallies in past demanding licenses and permanent space urging government to protect their livelihood. Now it was the first time I think when vendors are raising their voice againstencroachment to participate democratically in development and making Jaipur a world class city.

‘Jaipur Phal Sabji Vikreta Sayunkt Sangharsh Samiti’ planned of a strike by keeping their business close and to be on Dharna against illegal encroachment on at 11 AM on March 18, 2010 at Saheed Smarak, M I Road, Government Hostel Crossing, Jaipur. ‘Jaipur Phal Sabji Vikreta Sayunkt Sangharsh Samiti’ is being facilitated by Centre for Civil Society under its campaign on urban livelihood named “Jeevika: law, Liberty & Livelihood”.

The Dharna was good with around crowd of 200 street vendors. At the end we submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister. We had good media coverage too J I will share the detail about the event soon. For the time being watch out these pictures of the event.

Will come back with more updates and events like this.

Amit Chandra