Paper short abstract:

Due to lack of skill or education, the migrants of the cities adopt street food vending as a source of livelihood. The informal food sector encompassing street food vendors is at upsurge in cities of India. This paper comprehends the phenomenon of street food vending in cities of India.

Paper long abstract:

Cities are foundation of economic growth and social development, demand highly trained professionals which generates the need of positions below these professionals. This results in migration of people from neighbouring rural areas to cities in search of livelihood. Such migrants do not possess the skill or education to enable them to find a better paying employment in the formal sector. Thus, they are forced to enter into informal sector like street vending. This leads to rise of jobs outside the formal sector and into the informal one. The street food vendors are the very visible element of the informal sector. According to WHO, around 74% countries reported that street vended foods are a significant part of the urban food supply

One major section of such migrant are indulged in the street food vending which is continuously accumulating and is unlikely to disappear in cities. Due to rapid urbanization in the countries like India, street food vending is becoming a coping strategy for the migrants, when denied access to more formal employment opportunities. Because of its unorganized nature street food vending is often viewed as an impediment to development. In contrary, it offers autonomy, income and fulfils the basic need of food of various section of urban population. This paper tries to comprehend the phenomenon of street food vending in the developing cities of India.