Context: Recently, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a pilot project to train 2,500 street food vendors in Delhi under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0.
About the Program

The programme will be implemented under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0.

• Objective: To provide relevant skills to the Street Food Vendors leading towards better services to consumers, more opportunities to vendors for revenue generation, awareness on regulations and stipulated rules in return providing better services to the local bodies.
• Pilot Phase: In the pilot phase, the programme will be implemented to skill the street vendors of East Delhi Municipal Corporation(EDMC).
• Implemented by: Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council(THSSC) and training partners of National Skill Development Corporation(NSDC).
• Training under the programme: Under the initiative, the Street Food Vendors will be educated on health and safety standards, safety provisions under COVID-19 protocols, effective communication techniques with staff and customers, new-age skills such as digital literacy, financial literacy, digital payments and e-selling. The vendors will also be supported with loans under the Mudra Scheme.

What is the need for Skilling Street Vendors?

• India has 55 Lakh Street Food Vendors. Their contribution to the informal economy is 14%, which is not a small number. This highlights the important role played by them in India’s economy.
• However, the upliftment of street vendors lacked special attention and focus. Hence, the initiatives like SVANidhi and RPL training for Street Food Vendors have been launched to upskill the street vendors.

Key Schemes related to Food vendors

• PM SVANidhi Scheme
• Main Bhi Digital (me too digital)
• The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana.
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.