State Government launches PM-SVANIDHI scheme for the street vendors' welfare

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown led to the closure of all markets in Manipur to curb the spread of the disease in the state. The world has been crying ever since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China. We can now say we have almost adapted to this present situation. 

While we are all busy taking care of ourselves and following the norms to stay safe and away from the virus, the street vendors or the daily bread earners are struggling for a moment and for a place to earn by selling  something. Some of the migrant workers who have been working at certain places to earn are left helpless while some have returned to their own places with no means of earning. The struggle is real for them to feed their families as COVID-19 threatens their livelihood.

Beneficiaries belonging to 33 states/Union Territories (UTs) including Meghalaya which have been notified rules and scheme under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 are eligible for the scheme. 

The scheme is available to street vendors engaged in vending in urban areas as on or before 24^th March, 2020. They should possess certificate of vending/ identity cards issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). For those who have not issued certificate of vending/ identity cards, the ULBs are encouraged to issue the same immediately within a period of one month.  The ULBs play a vital role in implementation of  the PM-SVANidhi.

Vendors from rural/ peri-urban areas/ city dwellers who have returned back to resume their business after leaving the urban areas due to the pandemic are eligible for the scheme’s loan fulfilling the eligibility criteria. 

Digital platform with web portal and mobile application are developed to ensure fast and transparent implementation of PM-SVANidhi.

Under the PM-SVANidhi scheme, the Chief Minister of Manipur has disbursed loans to 368 beneficiaries/ street vendors on 25^th August, 2020. Including 16 beneficiaries from Hill Districts, the Chief Minister has also disbursed loans to 449 regular licensed vendors along with loans under the PMMY scheme.

Covering 24 urban local bodies of Manipur, the Chief Minister has again disbursed loans to 803 beneficiaries/ street vendors for the second batch of PM-SVANidhi scheme.

Under the PMMY scheme, the Chief Minister has disbursed loans to 466 regular licensed vendors and other micro business units including 5 beneficiaries from the Hill District Headquarters. 

In Manipur, 5,354 vendors have been benefitted so far under PM-SVANidhi and PMMY schemes. The state government has set a target of extending assistance to a total of 20,000 street vendors who have been vending in urban areas on or before 24^th March, 2020 under the PM-SVANidhi scheme. Currently, Manipur is ranked first among Hill and North Eastern States category in implementation of PM-SVANidhi for the highest number of loans disbursed till date.