Mysore/Mysuru: In a bid to effectively implement the PM Street Vendors’ Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme, a five-day street vendors enrolment drive began in the city this morning.

 MP Pratap Simha kick-started the drive by distributing pamphlets of the scheme to street vendors near Nanjumalige Circle. Speaking after the launch, Simha said that the scheme has been introduced by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and is a boon for street vendors.

 Pointing out that the scheme is a micro-credit facility scheme for providing affordable loan to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to COVID lockdown, the MP said that the scheme facilitates a working capital collateral-free loan of Rs. 10,000 with subsequent loans of Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 50,000 with seven percent interest subsidy.

 He called upon the street vendors to make best use of this drive and get registered for the scheme, which will be of great help to them.

 MLA S.A. Ramdas said that the scheme will make small vendors stay away from money lenders and ‘metre interest lenders,’ who extort huge interest for even small sums of money. Stating that the enrolment drive launched today will go till Feb. 24, he said that the enrolment is being done in the jurisdictions of all the Nine Zonal Offices of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC).

 The District Lead Bank has taken the lead for popularising the drive by opening exclusive counters at banks to extend all possible assistance to beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme.

 Pointing out that a survey of street vendors had been done with support from the Police Department for the enrolment drive, he called upon the street vendors, push cart vendors and all other small vendors to register for the scheme and thus get themselves financially empowered for carrying out or expanding their businesses.

 MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, Corporator M.V. Ramprasad and others were present.