NEW DELHI, Mar 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the opposition INDIA bloc of being guided by corruption, mis-governance and fuelling anti-national agenda, asserting he stands for rooting out corruption and appeasement.
His ideology is ensuring the country’s welfare through people’s welfare, he said at a programme here attended by the beneficiaries of PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi scheme, under which loan is given to street vendors.
Targeting INDIA group parties who have united in the national capital to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, Modi said they have come together on the agenda of “abusing” him day and night.
The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have joined hands in Delhi where all seven Lok Sabha seats are currently held by the BJP.
Modi said the PM SVANidhi scheme has been a big boost to the lakhs of families of street vendors who were never paid any “attention” by previous governments. They used to suffer insults and ran from pillar to post as they hardly got loans from banks and had to obtain capital at exorbitant interest rates, he said.
“‘Modi ki guarantee’ has ensured that they can get loans from banks at simple rates,” he said, adding more than 62 lakh people have been given loans of about Rs 11,000 crore.
At the event, the prime minister distributed loans to 1 lakh street vendors (SVs) including 5,000 SVs from Delhi as part of the scheme.
He handed over PM SVANidhi loan cheques to five beneficiaries. He also laid the foundation stone of two additional corridors of Delhi Metro’s Phase 4.
On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved two new corridors of Delhi Metro’s Phase-IV project — Lajpat Nagar to Saket G-Block and Inderlok to Indraprastha — in a move that will further improve the metro connectivity in the national capital.
The BJP government at the Centre has been working to improve the lives of the poor and middle class in the national capital, Modi said, adding that it has been making honest efforts to ease traffic and curb pollution in Indian cities.
Over 1,000 electric buses have been deployed in Delhi, he said, and highlighted the expansion of expressways around the city’s periphery and increase in its Metro network.
The PM pointed out that past governments did not take any interest in the welfare of street vendors which led to them facing disrespect and hardships.
They did not pay any heed to the needs of street vendors nor did they make any effort to tackle their issues, PM Modi said.
“This servant of yours has come out of poverty. I have lived in poverty. That is why those who have not been cared for by anyone, they were not only cared for but have been worshipped by Modi,” said the prime minister.
He further said that those who did not have anything to commit as collateral were assured of Modi’s guarantee.
He also praised the integrity of street vendors.
He said that loans worth Rs 10,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000 are being provided to street vendors depending on their records and use of digital transactions. Up till now, 62 lakh beneficiaries have received assistance worth Rs 11,000 crores, he said, expressing delight that more than half of the beneficiaries are women.
Recalling the launch of PM SVANidhi Yojna during the covid pandemic, Modi cited a study which, according to him, states that the income of street vendors has grown manifold and the digital records of purchases are also helping them avail benefits from the bank.
Modi also informed that a cashback of Rs 1,200 can be redeemed with digital transactions every year. The prime minister said that out of four crore pucca houses, one crore have been allotted to the urban poor.
Referring to the massive drive to provide pucca houses in place of jhuggis, Modi said 3,000 houses have already been completed in Delhi and 3,500 more are about to be completed.
He also mentioned the rapid regularisation of unauthorised colonies and the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana with an allocation of Rs 75,000. (PTI)
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