Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said efforts are being made to provide an online delivery platform to street food vendors on the lines of big restaurants while interacting with beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi scheme. Modi also urged the street vendors to adopt the digital payment system on a large scale. Meanwhile, several Bollywood actors and celebrities including Ajay Devgan, Varun Dhawan, Sonu Sood, Kailash Kher, Gobind Namdev, Mary Kom and cricket commentator Sushil Doshi have appreciated PM Modi’s initiative under the scheme to make street vendors self-reliant.
Interacting virtually with beneficiaries of PM Street Vendors’ Aatmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, PM Modi lauded vegetable vendor Dalchand from Sanchi in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh for using the QR code digital platform for receiving payments. He also suggested him ways to improve his vegetable business.
After his interaction with the street vendors, PM Modi in a televised address said, “A scheme has been prepared to provide an online platform to street food vendors by using technology. This means, the street food vendors will be able to make online delivery like big restaurants. Efforts are being made to provide this kind of facility.” He told the street vendors that if they come forward, the government will take this effort further.
“The use of digital payment has increased during the past three-four years. Its importance was realised during the corona (Covid-19 outbreak) period. Now customers avoid making payment in cash and pay directly through mobile phone,” he said.
In a tweet, Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan said “PM SVANidhi is a special initiative for empowering India’s #AatmaNirbharVendor”. The initiative is likely to benefit over 50 lakh street vendors. Power to our Honourable PM and Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs”. In his tweet, actor Sonu Sood said ‘PM SVANidhi, a special initiative by our Honourable @narendramodi for empowering street Vendors for Self Reliant India. As per the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry data, over 10 lakh applications from street vendors have been received across the country and loan amounts have been disbursed to over 1.5 lakhs.
Appealing street vendors to come forward to adopt the digital system, Modi said, “A new beginning has been made by the banks and digital payment system providers.” Modi told the street vendors that representatives of banks and such organisations will reach out to them, provide the QR code and inform them about its use.
“Whenever there is a pandemic, it hits the poor brothers and sisters hard. They always suffer whether it is excessive heat, rainfall or cold and these create problems for their employment and food, Modi said. “They (the poor) faced it the most during the pandemic and were even were forced to return to their native places.
During the interaction with Chaganlal and his wife from Sanver in Indore district, PM Modi advised him how to enhance his business by asking customers to return the pipe used in making broomsticks to reduce the cost of making a broomstick. Chaganlal also told PM Modi that he wanted to enhance his business. The PM advised him to use an earthen pitcher instead of a single-use plastic bottle for drinking water to save the environment. Interacting with Gwalior’s Archana Sharma, PM Modi asked whether she would serve him “tikki” (patties) that she sells at her joint. He also asked her about the SVANidhi scheme and how it benefitted her. PM SVANidhi is a scheme for street vendors to provide affordable working capital loans to them.