Svanidhi Samvaad: PM Modi interacts with MP vendors, says lockdown affected their business

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, September 9 interacted with the beneficiaries of the PM-SVANidhi scheme from Madhya Pradesh as part of 'Svanidhi Samvaad'. He encouraged all the beneficiaries who have used the scheme to establish a new business. The interaction was attended by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan through video conference.

'street vendors most affected during the COVID-19'

The Prime Minister spoke to three vendors from Indore, Raisen and Gwalior, about the benefits they had received under the SVANidhi scheme and the difficulties (if any), they faced in procuring the seed capital for their business under the scheme. PM said that all these street vendors were the most affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding further he said that as people stopped going out, street vendors didn’t have too many customers.  

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'use digital modes of payments'

The prime minister during his interaction also urged the small street vendors to use digital modes of payments as much as possible and requested them to avoid using plastic. He all praised the vendors for maintaining cleanliness.

The PM-SVANidhi scheme was launched to ensure that all these people are able to recover and restart their business and that this is the first time that street vendors have been put together under a structure, PM said. He also said it is important that all vendors are educated by the scheme so that they can avail of the benefits.

READ | PM Modi to interact with street vendor beneficiaries of govt scheme in Madhya Pradesh

"I congratulate all beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme. In my interactions with a few of them, I could see hope, confidence in their talks. I also congratulate Chief Minister Shivraj Singh and his team for his efforts through which in just two months over one lakh street vendors have received the benefit under the scheme," the Prime Minister said.

"This scheme aims to provide a new beginning for the street vendors. This is the first time that a network of lakhs of people has been connected to the system and they have been given an identity," he added.  The Prime Minister also said that under this scheme the beneficiaries can get fully exempt from having to pay back the interest on loans if they give attention to some small details.

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He also said that a new process has been started to ensure that the street vendors do not lag behind in accepting digital payments, under which bank officials would visit them and provide them with QR codes, along with instructing them how to use it.
The Prime Minister also queried the vendors about the businesses they had started after getting the loans and the impact the COVID-19 crisis had on their livelihood.

About the PM SVANidhi scheme

The Centre had launched the PM SVANidhi scheme on 1st June 2020 to help poor street vendors, impacted by COVID-19 resume their livelihood activities. Following the commencement of online submission of applications on PM SVANidhi portal on July 2, 2020, more than 7.15 lakh applications have been received. Over 1.70 lakh have been sanctioned in different States and UTs, the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry informed.  Madhya Pradesh stands first in the number of total applications accepted, with 47 percent of these coming from the State alone. 

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(With ANI inputs)