Swanidhi Scheme started by the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make street vendors self-reliant financially can bring smiles on the faces of the weaker sections of society, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, here on Friday.
He was speaking after inaugurating Swanidhi Mahotsava organised by Nagpur Municipal Corporation under Social Welfare Department, Deendayal Antyoday Yojna and Upjivika Abhiyaan at Suresh Bhat Hall, Reshimbag, to mark Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsava. Krishna Khopde, MLA, was the guest of honour.
Gadkari further said that bank loans had been made available for around 20,000 street vendors under this scheme without much troubles to the poor. Late Deendayal Upadhyaya had conceptualised the idea and used to work selflessly for achieving betterment of the weaker sections of society. It is a matter of honour that NMC is doing job under the scheme and he congratulated Radhakrishnan B, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator of NMC and his team.
The minister asked street vendors to pay instalments to the banks regularly so that they can get further loan amount for increasing their business.
Radhakrishnan made introductory remarks. The street vendors and members of Self-Help Groups had put up over 105 stalls in the premises of the hall for selling the items they prepared. NMC had also organised online competitions for their family members as well as a cultural programme. The guests distributed prizes to the winners in different competitions as wells meritorious wards from the families.
Dr Kiran Kulkarni, Commissioner, Municipal Councils Administrative Directorate, Dipak Kumar Meena, Ram Joshi, Addl Municipal Commissioners, Vijay Singh, National Mission Manager, Housing & Urban Affairs, Ravindra Bhelawe, Vijay Humne, Deputy Commissioners, Dr Ranjana Lade, Social Welfare Officer, Harish Raut, Asstt Commissioner, Ajay Mankar, Executive Engineer, Piyushg Ambulkar, Sports Officer, Shirish Fulzele, Nandkishor Sharma, Vinod Taywade, Razzak Qureshi, Kavita Dhurve and others were present.
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