Going by what Ajay Maken, minister for housing and poverty alleviation says, a street vending law will be in place in the next few months. The budget session of parliament will engage itself towards its enactment and the government, along with politicians, social science academics, a section of civil society, and more importantly, another stakeholder, the hawkers have been rooting for it, and will applaud it when on the statute.
The other stakeholder of cities is averse to the idea of allowing hawking, for its various ramifications. They have their legitimate cons for the pros advocating regulated hawking. Their view is that hawking is an inconvenience and a hurdle for normal use of a normal civic facility - the sidewalk. The fact that they are eyesores, cluttering the cityscape etc. are the other elements in the opposition. They ask, how could a slice of the city meant for one purpose be handed over to another.
To city governments, it just does not matter for though it is mandated to be an enabler to make lives better for all citizens, it has not actually been that facilitator.
Former Indian Minister Of State (MOS) for Youth Affairs and Sports, and current Union Cabinet Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Ajay Maken (C), speaks to media at the Gujarat Congress House in Ahmedabad on Decemer 8, 2012.
India's new Cabinet Minister Ajay Maken (R) takes an oath of office as Indian President Pranab Mukherjee looks on during a swearing-in ceremony at The Presidental Palace in New Delhi on October 28, 2012. Speaking to reporters after a swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he expected that his new team would remain in office up until the next general election which is due in spring 2014.
9:45 am: Maken thanks the Prime Minister and Sonia
Sports Minister Ajay Maken has jumped the gun and already said his thank yous to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for his promotion, reported CNN IBN.
What he's thankful for isn't certain yet and he's not telling.
Meanwhile here's what CNBC 's Siddharth Zarabi has forecast for the cabinet reshuffle:
https://twitter.com/szarabi/status/262397986141777920
9: 30 am: A case of musical chairs in the Cabinet?
Three Cabinet Ministers Ambika Soni (I&B), Mukul Wasnik (Social Justice) and Subodh Kant Sahai (Tourism) and three Ministers of State Agatha Sangma (Rural Development), Mahadev Khandela (Tribal Affairs) and Vincent Pala (Water Resources) resigned yesterday clearing the path for new faces in the cabinet.
While young Congress leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Ajay Maken and Sachin Pilot could be elevated to new ministries, there is as usual a hushed silence over whether Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi will take the plunge into the government. Highly unlikely, but with politics its best not to write off anything.
Speculation is also rife that Shashi Tharoor, (our once upon a time MoS External Affairs, whose Twitter feed and IPL plunge, cost him his ministry) could be back in a ministry though as what is rather unclear. We're watching him closely on Twitter though.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Wednesday announced that HN Girisha, who won a silver medal in the ongoing London Paralympics, will be offered a job with the Sports Authority of India.
While Sports Minister Ajay Maken has promised action against officials accompanying athletes at the London Paralympic Games for failing to discharge their duties, some have blamed him and the Sports Ministry for failure to tackle the problems facing the athletes before they went for the event.
The problem is squarely with the Sports Ministry and with Ajay Maken. Ajay Maken has been personally aware of this problem from the day he took over as the Sports Minister, Javed Abidi, Convener of the Disabled Rights Group told CNN-IBN.
Regarding the promise from Maken that the action will be taken soon, Abidi said, Athletes checked into the village a week or 10 days ago. They have been crying since then. The matter has been known to the ministry, then why hasn't action been taken earlier?
