Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday emphasized a major shift in financial inclusion in India, noting that street vendors are now being provided credit cards under the PM SVANidhi scheme—facilities that were previously accessible only to wealthy individuals.
Addressing a gathering in Kerala’s capital after flagging off three Amrit Bharat trains, launching development projects, and announcing the PM SVANidhi Credit Card, PM Modi said, “Previously, only wealthy people had credit cards, but now street vendors also have SVANidhi credit cards.” He added that the launch marks a significant step towards empowering street vendors, cart owners, and footpath hawkers, with 10,000 vendors from Kerala and over 600 from Thiruvananthapuram receiving credit cards during the programme.
“The condition of those who sell goods on the streets and in the lanes was very bad earlier. They had to take even a few hundred rupees at very high interest rates to buy goods,” PM Modi said, underlining the scheme’s aim to address this long-standing issue. He noted that millions of vendors across India have already benefited, receiving bank loans for the first time in their lives.
Highlighting broader financial inclusion, the Prime Minister said, “Ende Suhartutkale (my friends), the Centre has done a big job in connecting people to banking services. Now, the poor, SCs, STs, OBCs, women, and fishermen are all getting bank loans easily. For those who do not have any guarantee, the government itself is becoming their guarantor.”
On urban development, PM Modi stated, “For the past 11 years, the Centre has been working for the country’s poor families. Today, the entire country is united in its efforts to build a Viksit Bharat (developed India), and our cities have a very important role to play in this journey.” He highlighted housing initiatives under the PM Awas Yojana, including nearly 1.25 lakh permanent homes for urban poor in Kerala, as well as welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Matru Vandana Yojana, and tax relief for middle-class families earning up to ₹12 lakh annually.
The Prime Minister also reiterated Kerala’s enhanced rail connectivity and plans to develop Thiruvananthapuram into a major startup hub, describing the PM SVANidhi initiative as a nationwide model for the welfare of the poor. He added that the central government is investing heavily in science, innovation, and healthcare, citing the inauguration of the CSIR Innovation Hub and the launch of a Radiosurgery Centre in Thiruvananthapuram’s medical college.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi flagged off four new trains, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains—Nagercoil-Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram, Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli—and a passenger train between Thrissur and Guruvayur. He also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects in the city. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar were present at the event, which took place as Kerala heads into Assembly election mode. (ANI)
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