General Education Minister V. Sivankutty on Sunday inaugurated a street vendors' mela being organised by the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation at Kanakakkunnu as part of the 'Swathanthryam Thanne Amritham' celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's Independence.
He said that the Corporation had been at the forefront in ensuring proper facilities and protection for street vendors.
The mela will be on at Kanakakkunnu till August 21. Mayor Arya Rajendran presided over the function. Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil inaugurated the stalls. A total of 120 stalls have been opened as part of the mela at Kanakakkunnu. Transport Minister Antony Raju presented awards to the children of street vendors who have scored high marks in various examinations.
The function was followed by a performance by singer Sithara Krishnakumar. The mela will witness the participation of street vendors, Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups, and various other organisations. Cultural programmes by street vendors, Kudumbashree workers, and their families will be part of the mela in the coming days. A loan mela for street vendors, ID card distribution, seminars, and workshops are also being organised as part of it.
