Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao enjoyed tea from street vendors and had lunch with them*

Street vendors narrated their stories to the Deputy Chief Minister at the Swanidhi Mahotsav*

Raipur.. Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration Minister Shri Arun Saw, while visiting the food stalls set up by street vendors at the Swanidhi Mahotsav organised by the Urban Administration and Development Department and State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the capital Raipur today, enjoyed tea from the hands of a street vendor. Public representatives and senior officials who were visiting the stalls with him also sipped tea in earthen cups. While visiting the food stalls, Shri Saw spoke to the street vendors, inquired about their business and took feedback on the PM Swanidhi Yojana. After the programme, he sat and had lunch with the women street vendors.

During the Svanidhi Mahotsav, two beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme shared their stories with Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Saw. Mr. Dilip Yadav of Dhamtari said that he started his business with a loan of Rs. 10,000. He took a loan of Rs. 20,000 in the second phase and Rs. 50,000 in the third phase to expand his business by paying the loan installments on time. Dilip said that he sells plastic items on a cart. The loan received from PM SVANidhi helped his business grow and his family's financial situation improve.

Mrs. Sushila Srivastava of Fingeshwa also shared her experiences with Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Saw. She explained that she works as a tailor. After repaying the first installment of the 10,000 rupee loan, she took out a loan of 20,000 rupees in the second phase and 50,000 rupees in the third phase to expand her business. The PM Svanidhi Yojana has significantly improved her work and family circumstances. Now, she and her family are living a better life.