The Zunheboto Town Council (ZTC), in collaboration with the Urban Development Agency, organized a state-level Pakhwada campaign to mobilize and onboard street vendors under the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi) Scheme, on November 28 at ZTC office.
The event was aimed at educating street vendors about the benefits of the scheme and encouraging them to avail of its financial support.
In a press release by Media and Publicity Journalist, Zunheboto district, Tokavi K Zhimo informed that State Mission Manager, DAY-NULM, Abau Suokhrie, key resource person for the event, highlighted the expansion of the PMSVANidhi Scheme, to include pan shop owners, barbers, cobblers, and other small-scale entrepreneurs. She emphasized that vendors should take advantage of the scheme while it was still available.
Suokhrie presented a report mentioning that Zunheboto had 15 eligible beneficiaries under the scheme, but only two had availed benefits through SBI, with no loans granted by other banks. She reminded the audience that the loans should be used for business, not for personal purposes.
Under the scheme, vendors could receive loans of Rs. 10,000 in the first installment, Rs. 20,000 in the second, and up to Rs. 50,000 in the third. After repaying, they became eligible for benefits like a Rs. 3,000 monthly pension, incidental insurance, maternity benefits, and more from various departments and schemes.
She encouraged street vendors to use digital payment methods via QR codes, noting they could earn Rs. 1 per transaction, contributing to the promotion of Digital India. Suokhrie also explained that linking an Aadhaar number to a mobile number was mandatory for scheme enrollment.
In her closing remarks, she urged bankers to focus not only on their institutions but also on the community’s collective upliftment, stating, “It’s not only my people or your people, but our people.” The event featured speeches from several dignitaries, and representatives Banks, all shared insights on how banks are supporting the scheme and facilitating loans for eligible vendors.