KOKRAJHAR: On Wednesday, the All Assam Railway Hawkers’ Association (AARHA) put forward their demands for legal recognition and social security measures for the railway hawkers to ensure their livelihood.
Talking to The Sentinel, the secretary of AARHA, Binod Kr. Roy, said hundreds of thousands of hawkers have been serving in the Indian Railways and running their families with meagre income. In Assam, around ten thousand hawkers are depending on railways for their livelihood, he said, adding that the hawkers have been facing a lot of difficulties due to a lack of government initiatives to streamline their services by providing the required basic facilities. He also said the association had been struggling for legal recognition for railway hawkers, the issuance of licenses, the provision of proper uniforms, the issuance of identity cards, and the establishment of social security measures. He further said recognising was the need of the hour for an improved working environment, for which he urged the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, to take intervention in achieving their objectives.
Roy said the railway hawkers had been giving service on the railways for passengers for generations, contributing to the convenience of travellers and generating livelihoods for their families. He said the AARHA had been registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860, bearing Registration No. RS/BONG/252/H/20/ of 2023-2024. He said that despite their sincere efforts to earn their livelihoods through hawking within the railway premises, they have been facing many challenges as they are often treated as lawbreakers by the authorities. He also said the difficulties they encounter are manifold, both inside and outside the trains, impacting their ability to provide efficient services.
“During the tenure of Suresh Prabhu as the Union Railway Minister, a committee was set up to address the welfare of the railway hawkers, where Pankaj Pathak, a member of the Railway P&S committee, played a pivotal role in the discussions,” he said, adding that under Pankaj Pathak’s leadership, several discussions were held and potential courses of action were identified to enhance the welfare of the railway hawkers. Regrettably, the momentum was lost over time, and the committee is currently inactive. He also said their day-to-day business operations were hampered by numerous problems, affecting their ability to serve the passengers effectively, and the interference from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has further compounded their challenges, negatively impacting their interactions with the passengers.
Meanwhile, the 59th general meeting of the Regional Board, Assam, was held at the Administrative Staff College, Khanapara, Guwahati, on April 26, 2023, and recommended the incorporation of employees of small tea gardens, ASHA workers, midday meal workers, railway hawkers and labourers of railways, etc., in ESIC.
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