New lease for street vendors

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has allowed street vendors to engage in their trade along by-roads and in special areas until alternative places are allocated to them following representations made by the Federation of Self-employees, said a press release issued by the Federation yesterday.

The program is conducted under the supervision of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The release said police stations in major towns including Kandy, Galle, Vavuniya, Akuressa and Nuwara Eliya too have been empowered to allocate places along by-roads for street vendors.

The release said the President had also advised Minister Basil Rajapaksa to set-up self-employees trade stalls in all towns without delay.

Meanwhile, people who maintained mobile tea kiosks in towns have been permitted to engage in their business in mini-vans.