Madhya Pradesh street vendors to get I-cards along with interest-free loans: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh government has announced to provide identity cards to all the street vendors of the state. Making the announcement in Bhopal on Thursday Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that a scheme to provide an interest-free loan of Rs 10,000 to rural street vendors of Madhya Pradesh has been implemented. Chouhan also declared that the Madhya Pradesh government will take full guarantee of the loan given to the street vendors along with repayment of the interest against this loan. CM Chouhan was addressing a program, organized for loan distribution to small businessmen of rural areas at Minto Hall, Bhopal. 

The program was broadcasted across the state. Lakhs of people joined the event live through various social media platforms. On this occasion, Chief Minister Chouhan also interacted with the beneficiaries. Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the vegetable and fruit sellers, those running chaat shops, paan shops, small cosmetic shops, cobblers, barbers, laundryman, and other small businessmen doing similar work are facing a financial crisis due to Covid-19. The Madhya Pradesh government drafted a plan in July to redress their grievances through this scheme. In just two and a half months, the loan amount is being given to 20 thousand rural street vendors of the state.

Madhya Pradesh's government will be facing a litmus test in the form of the by-election on 28 assembly constituencies very soon. These seats were vacated after BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from congress and help BJP form government along with his supporter MLAs in March this year. Scindia had accused the then Kamal Nath government of betraying with farmers. He said Kamal Nath led the congress government did not keep its promise made to farmers for waving of their loans. 

The state BJP government is in election mode ever since taking over from congress.  Shivraj Singh Chouhan has made many announcements to lure the voters and this event was one such in the series. These programs were organized under the Gharib Kalyan Saptah for the welfare of people of different classes from September 16th in the state.  As many as 20 thousand beneficiaries of the state are availing benefits of this scheme which provides interest-free loans of Rs 10 thousand to each beneficiary. Informing about the scheme, Chief Minister Chouhan said that under this scheme, there is a provision to give a double amount as loan next year on repayment of a loan of Rs 10 thousand by the beneficiary. 

Loans will be given to all street vendors registered under the Kamgar Setu portal
Referring to the PM Swanidhi Yojana, which provides loans to street vendors in urban areas, Chief Minister Chouhan said that Prime Minister Modi has lauded the achievements of Madhya Pradesh under this scheme. Out of the total number of beneficiaries of the country, 66 percent are from Madhya Pradesh. He said that taking into account the success of the scheme in urban areas, street vendors in rural areas should also be considered to be benefitted in the same manner. Nearly 8 lakh 52 thousand people have been registered through the Kamgar Setu portal in the state.