Puri launches mobile app to process loan applications of street vendors

NEW DELHI: According to a statement, Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Wednesday, August 19, launched a mobile app for urban local bodies to source loan applications from street vendors under the Prime Minister Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme. During a meeting with State Ministers for Urban Development on Tuesday evening, it was also decided that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will carry out a complete socio-economic profiling of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries. This profiling will be done with the aim of facilitating them in other schemes such as PM Awas Yojana (Urban), Aayushman Bharat, Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana and DAY-NULM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission), among others.

The statement stated that Puri had received feedback from states and Union territories and advised them and officials concerned to hold meetings with key stakeholders to ensure that the PM SVANidhi is implemented successfully. Under the PM SVANidhi scheme, street vendors can avail up to Rs 10,000 of a working capital loan that is reimbursable on a monthly installment for a one-year term.

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

States are encouraged during the interaction, to combine other economic upgrading schemes for vendors such as for purchase of modern pushcarts in place of traditional thelas, Puri said during his interaction. In the case of undue abuse by the police / municipal officials of street vendors, action should be initiated by establishing accountability against the wrongdoing officials. He also said that a forum, chaired by the district collector and having representation of police/ULB and other relevant departments should be formed to assist beneficiaries in raising their grievances in a conducive environment.

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