The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) is a flagship Central Sector Scheme launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on June 1, 2020. The primary objective is to provide affordable, collateral-free working capital loans to street vendors to resume their livelihoods, which were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Features and Loan Structure
The scheme has been extended until March 31, 2030, and includes a tiered credit structure to facilitate the formalization of the informal economy.
| Tranche | Loan Amount | Repayment Tenure |
| 1st Tranche | Up to ₹15,000 | 12 months |
| 2nd Tranche | Up to ₹25,000 | 18 months |
| 3rd Tranche | Up to ₹50,000 | 36 months |
Benefits and Incentives
- Interest Subsidy: An interest subsidy of 7% per annum is provided to beneficiaries who repay their loans on time. This is credited directly to their bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on a quarterly basis.
- Digital Adoption: To promote digital transactions, the scheme offers cashback incentives of up to ₹1,600 per annum on retail and wholesale transactions.
- Credit Guarantee: The scheme provides credit guarantee coverage to lending institutions, encouraging them to lend to the informal sector without collateral.
- Capacity Building: Through the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ initiative, the scheme focuses on the holistic welfare of vendors, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, and hygiene standards (in partnership with FSSAI).
Eligibility and Implementation
- Target Beneficiaries: Street vendors engaged in vending in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas who have a Certificate of Vending or Identity Card issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
- Inclusion: Vendors left out of the initial surveys can obtain a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) from their respective ULBs or Town Vending Committees (TVCs) to qualify.
- Implementation: The scheme is jointly facilitated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Financial Services (DFS), which coordinates with banks and financial institutions for credit flow.
Science and Technology Programme (Ministry of Mines)
The Ministry of Mines implements a dedicated Science and Technology (S&T) Programme to foster innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in the mining and metallurgy sectors. It provides funding for research and development (R&D) projects to academic institutions, universities, and national R&D laboratories.
Core Research Domains
The programme aims to drive advancements in the following critical areas:
- Mine Safety and Design: Research into rock mechanics, mine layout optimization, and the development of advanced mining equipment.
- Efficiency and Recovery: Enhancing operational efficiency, improving mineral recovery rates, and developing techniques for the beneficiation of lower-grade or fine-grained ores.
- Sustainability: Focusing on environmental protection, energy conservation, and the utilization of mine waste, plant tailings, and industrial by-products (e.g., fly ash, red mud).
- Metallurgy and Value Addition: Developing new alloys and high-purity materials to boost the value chain of the domestic mineral sector.
Key Portals and Project Components
- SATYABHAMA Portal: The Science and Technology Application for Leveraging Knowledge in Business & Mining Advancement (SATYABHAMA) portal serves as the primary digital interface for researchers to submit project proposals, track progress, and access information on ongoing and completed projects.
- R&D and PRISM Components: The S&T Programme operates under various components, including the R&D vertical for institutional research and the PRISM (Promotion of Research and Innovation in Start-ups and MSMEs) component, which encourages innovation from the private sector and startups.
- National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM): The ministry actively solicits research proposals and recognizes Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under this mission to reduce import dependency and secure the supply chain for critical and strategic minerals.
Additional Exploration Support
Beyond the S&T Programme, the Ministry of Mines supports exploration through the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT), which provides:
- Financial assistance to State Governments and exploration agencies for procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and laboratory equipment.
- Incentive schemes for private exploration agencies and holders of Exploration Licences (EL) to accelerate the discovery of mineral deposits.
- Specific grants for North Eastern Region (NER) states to boost mineral exploration activities in those geographies.