Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that many schemes are being run for the welfare of people engaged in small business (street vendors). A campaign should be conducted so that the eligible people get their benefits properly. The Urban Development and Housing Department and the local administration should work to provide the benefits to the people doing small business through hand carts and hawkers. While providing adequate space for business in the urban area, it must be kept in mind that the livelihood of these businessmen continues without disturbing the system. Chouhan was seeking information about the preparations for the panchayat of hand cart drivers, hawkers and street vendors of urban areas to be held in Bhopal on May 29 at Samatva Bhavan today. Commissioner Urban Administration Bharat Yadav, Collector Bhopal Ashish Singh, Commissioner Municipal Corporation V.S. Chaudhary Kolsani and concerned officers were present.

Chouhan said that the families of people doing small business should be reviewed from time to time so that the Ladli Bahna Yojana, Ayushman card and educational facilities continue to be available to them. It should also be ensured that the beneficiaries benefitting from the PM Swanidhi Yojana get the benefit of the provisions using digital mediums. Madhya Pradesh has been first in the implementation of PM Swanidhi Yojana. This situation will continue even further.

Chouhan said that there will be necessary brainstorming in the panchayat so that the street vendors get the benefits of various schemes in a better way. Keeping in mind the suggestions received and the experiences of the programmes conducted in the past, new facilities will also be considered.

PM Swanidhi Scheme in Madhya Pradesh: At a Glance

PM Swanidhi Yojana was announced by the Central Government on 14 May 2020 in the country, the implementation of which started from 1 June, 2020. The main objective of the scheme was to ensure employment and livelihood of urban street vendors who were facing business problems during the Corona period. Under the scheme, an interest-free working capital loan of Rs 10,000 is made available for one year.

On timely payment, an amount of Rs. 20 thousand is received again, for which there is a provision to give working capital loan and interest subsidy of Rs. 50 thousand on timely payment. A special grant of maximum Rs 1200 is given in a year on digital transactions. The beneficiary gets the loan without any guarantee. Madhya Pradesh ranks first in the implementation of this scheme in the country.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister’s Urban Unorganized Workers’ Integrated Portal was prepared and registrations were done. 9 lakh 17 thousand identity/sale certificates have been issued in the state.

A total of 5 lakh 53 thousand 106 cases have been approved and beneficiaries have been benefitted. The progress of the state is 102.45 percent. With the provision of 7 percent interest subsidy by the Central Government in PM Swanidhi Yojana, Madhya Pradesh government is giving interest amount of more than 7 percent as subsidy. The scheme has been implemented in 3 phases.

Swanidhi se Samriddhi

Swanidhi se Samriddhi Yojana is being implemented in 335 urban bodies of the state. In the first phase, 9 urban bodies Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Ujjain, Sagar, Guna and Chhatarpur took part. In the second phase, 15 civic bodies Jabalpur, Chhindwara, Katni, Rewa, Dewas, Singrauli, Ratlam, Morena, Satna, Seoni, Vidisha, Shivpuri, Khargone, Damoh and Dhar have been selected. In the third phase, 311 urban bodies of the state were selected under the Swanidhi Se Samriddhi Yojana. Efforts are being made to link the beneficiaries of PM Swanidhi and their families with the eight public welfare schemes of the central government, including PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, PM Shramyogi Maan Dhan Yojana, One Nation-One Card, PM Jan-Dhan Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana besides building and other construction labourers’ schemes.