India / Govt launches app to process street vendors' loans under PM SVANidhi

New Delhi: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched a mobile app for urban local bodies to source loan applications from street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme, a statement said on Wednesday.

During an interaction with state urban development ministers Tuesday evening, it was also decided that the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry will conduct a complete socio-economic profiling of the PM SVANidhi beneficiaries with an aim to facilitate them in other schemes such as PM Awas Yojana (Urban), Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana and DAY-NULM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission), among others.

The statement said Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Puri received feedback from states and Union Territories, and urged them and officials concerned to hold meetings with key stakeholders for ensuring a successful implementation of the Prime Minister Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme.

Under the PM SVANidhi scheme, street vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs 10,000 which is repayable in monthly installments in the tenure of one year.

"On the occasion, the minister launched a Mobile App for ULB (Urban Local Bodies) functionaries. This App aims to provide user-friendly digital interface for the functionaries of ULBs to source loan applications of street vendors," the statement said.

It also stated that during his interaction, Puri said, "States are encouraged to dovetail other schemes for economic upliftment of vendors like Mudra/DAY-NULM credit for purchase of modern pushcarts in place of traditional thelas.

"With regard to undue harassment of the street vendors by police/municipal officials, action should be initiated against the erring officials by fixing responsibility..."

He also said that to help beneficiary raise their grievances in a conducive environment, a forum chaired by district collector and having representation of police/ULB and other relevant departments should be constituted.

According to the ministry, since the commencement of online submission of applications on PM SVANidhi portal on July 2, more than 5.68 lakh applications have been received and over 1.3 lakh sanctioned across states and UTs.