RAMBAN: Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Mussarat Islam, Sunday reviewed the progress of PM SVANidhi, a scheme, launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development to empower street vendors by providing collateral-free working capital loans up to Rs.10,000 per annum in urban areas, including peri-urban and rural areas.
Lead District Manager, Ramban, Shakeel Ahmad, informed the meeting that as many as 228 cases were sponsored to various banks in Ramban District out of which 210 have been sanctioned and loan to 166 beneficiaries stands disbursed. He assured the meeting that the remaining 62 cases shall also be disbursed soon.
Emphasizing upon broadening the scope of the capital infusion scheme to help and support street vendors, the Deputy Commissioner directed the financial institutions to increase their targets by bringing more street vendors under the ambit of the scheme. He said an interest subsidy of 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries every quarter and there will be no penalty on early repayment of loan.
The LDM informed the meeting that scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, small finance banks, cooperative banks and other financial institutions will be providing loans under the scheme.
He assured that the targets set under the scheme will be revised so that more street vendors are provided much-needed credit mobilization to sustain their small businesses.