THE NEWS FREEDOM
NEW DELHI, MARCH 14
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack against the opposition INDIA bloc, accusing it of being driven by corruption, misgovernance, and promoting anti-national agendas. In contrast, he affirmed his commitment to eradicating corruption and advocating for the welfare of the people. Speaking at the JLN Stadium in Delhi, where he addressed beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme, Modi distributed loans to 1 lakh street vendors, including 5,000 from Delhi, as part of the initiative.
“Previous governments neglected the needs of street vendors and failed to address their concerns,” Modi remarked. “As someone who has risen from poverty, I understand their struggles. That’s why I haven’t just provided assistance, but I’ve also elevated them,” he added, emphasizing his personal journey and commitment to uplifting marginalized communities.
Modi highlighted his government’s efforts to support street vendors, emphasizing that loans of varying amounts—ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 rupees—are being offered based on vendors’ records and digital transaction usage. To date, the scheme has benefited 62 lakh vendors, disbursing assistance worth 11,000 crores, with a notable proportion of beneficiaries being women.
During the event, Modi presented PM SVANidhi loan cheques to five recipients and laid the foundation stone for two additional corridors as part of Phase 4 of the Delhi Metro project.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister acknowledged the presence of lakhs of street vendors linked to the event through video conferencing from 100s of cities. Remembering the strength of street vendors during the pandemic, the Prime Minister underlined their importance in everyday life. The Prime Minister said that money has been transferred directly to the account of 1 lakh street vendors all over the country and to top it all, two additional corridors of Delhi Metro: Lajpat Nagar – Saket-G Block and Inderlok – Indraprastha were also launched today.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the lakhs of street vendors in the country who take care of the needs of their families with their hard work and self-respect. PM Modi underlined that even though their vending carts and shops might be small, their dreams are huge.
He pointed out that the governments of the past did not take any interest in the welfare of street vendors which led to them facing disrespect and hardships. He observed that their need for funds was fulfilled by high-interest loans while untimely payments caused further disrespect and even higher interest rates. He also noted that they had no access to banks as they did not hold any loan guarantees. In such cases, availing bank loans had become impossible due to no bank accounts and the absence of business records.
Recalling the launch of PM SVANidhi Yojna during the COVID pandemic, the Prime Minister threw light on a recent study which states that the income of street vendors has grown manifold and the digital records of purchases are also helping them avail benefits from the bank. He also informed me that a cashback of Rs 1200 can be redeemed with digital transactions every year.
Highlighting the hardships faced by street vendors in their daily lives, the Prime Minister noted that many of them migrate from villages to cities to make a living. “PM SVANidi not only connects the beneficiaries to banks but also opens the doors to other government benefits”, PM Modi said, giving examples of free ration, free treatment and free gas connections. He also highlighted the transformative approach of the One Nation One Ration Card scheme which allows availing free ration from anywhere across the country.