The Manipur government on Monday distributed loans to 3,362 street vendors in the state under the PM Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PMSVA Nidhi) and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
The beneficiaries received the loan amounts at a function held in Imphal on Monday in the presence of several state ministers and MLAs.
The state government has provided loans to these street vendors to bail them out of the financial crisis they had faced during the Covid-19 lockdown in the country.
“Street vendor loans distributed under #PMSVANidhi and #MUDRA to another in the presence of Ministers and MLAs at CM Secretariat complex today. The schemes have so far benefited 5354 street vendors affected by the lockdown due to #COVID19 pandemic in the State,” tweeted Manipur chief minister, N Biren Singh.
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These vendors had to remain without a source of livelihood during the lockdown, which made it almost impossible for many to make ends meet.
The government had also provided loans to 817 women vendors in August to help them resume their vending activities after the lockdown was lifted.
PMSVA Nidhi is a special micro-credit scheme offering an affordable working capital loan to street vendors to resume their businesses that have been affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
The particular scheme provides loans up to Rs 10,000, which are repayable in monthly installments within a year.
A total of 5354 street vendors have benefitted under these two schemes in the state.