Yamunanagar Mayor Suman Bahmani urges residents to avail the 75 per cent property tax interest waiver scheme
Month-long welfare camp at Municipal Corporation office will facilitate PM SVANidhi loans, social security schemes, digital empowerment and financial inclusion
PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK | YAMUNANAGAR
In a major outreach initiative aimed at strengthening the economic and social security of street vendors and small traders, the Yamunanagar Municipal Corporation will organise a Lok Kalyan Mela under the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme from September 1 to September 30, 2026.
The month-long welfare programme will be held at the Municipal Corporation office near Kanhaiya Sahib Chowk in Yamunanagar. The initiative is intended to help eligible street vendors access government welfare schemes, resolve pending loan-related issues and connect beneficiaries with social security, banking and digital services.
Mayor Suman Bahmani and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Mahabir Prasad said the Lok Kalyan Mela would serve as a comprehensive platform for street vendors, rehri-patri operators and small business owners to receive information and assistance regarding a range of government schemes.
Under the campaign, special emphasis will be placed on encouraging fresh applications under the PM SVANidhi scheme. The Municipal Corporation will also work to facilitate the disbursement of loans that have already been sanctioned but are yet to be released to beneficiaries.
According to the information shared by the civic authorities, applications pending at the bank level will also receive attention during the Lok Kalyan Mela. Cases in which applications were returned by banks will be reviewed and efforts will be made to address pending issues on a priority basis, enabling eligible applicants to move forward in the process.
The initiative will also focus on street vendors who have successfully repaid their second PM SVANidhi loan. Such beneficiaries will be encouraged to explore the next stage of financial inclusion, including applying for eligible credit card facilities.
The Lok Kalyan Mela is expected to go beyond the conventional objective of facilitating small business loans. The Municipal Corporation plans to use the campaign to strengthen digital inclusion among beneficiaries, particularly those who may have become inactive or are not fully connected to digital systems and services.
Officials said efforts would also be made to provide training and awareness support to street vendors. The objective is to help beneficiaries better understand available opportunities and improve their capacity to participate in formal financial and digital systems.
Special attention will also be given to identifying beneficiaries who may have been left out of existing welfare coverage. The Municipal Corporation plans to prepare a broader social and economic profile of such beneficiaries and their families, helping authorities understand their needs and facilitate access to relevant schemes.
As part of the training and awareness component, coordination will be undertaken with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to provide information related to food safety. This is particularly relevant for street vendors involved in food preparation and sale, where awareness about hygiene, safe food practices and regulatory standards can contribute to both consumer safety and business development.
Mayor Suman Bahmani said the Municipal Corporation’s objective is to ensure that the benefits of government welfare schemes reach eligible citizens without unnecessary obstacles.
She appealed to street vendors and small traders to participate in the Lok Kalyan Mela, obtain detailed information about the schemes available to them and take advantage of facilities for which they are eligible.
The welfare initiative will also provide eligible individuals and families with an opportunity to connect with several major government social security and financial inclusion schemes.
These include the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, which provides accident insurance coverage to eligible subscribers, and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, a life insurance scheme aimed at expanding financial protection.
Eligible beneficiaries will also be assisted with access to the One Nation One Ration Card system, designed to improve portability of food security benefits for eligible households.
The Lok Kalyan Mela will additionally facilitate awareness and enrolment related to the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana, which is intended to provide pension support to eligible workers in the unorganised sector.
Financial inclusion will remain another important component of the campaign, with eligible citizens being connected to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and other banking-related services.
The Municipal Corporation also plans to assist eligible beneficiaries with Building and Other Construction Workers registration, which can help registered workers access welfare measures available under the relevant labour welfare framework.
Women and families eligible for maternal and child welfare support will also be guided regarding schemes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Mayor Bahmani said the broader objective of the campaign is not limited to providing access to loans. The Municipal Corporation is seeking to support street vendors through a wider framework that combines social security, financial inclusion, digital empowerment and economic self-reliance.
Street vendors and small traders form an important part of the urban economy, providing affordable goods and services while supporting their families through small-scale businesses. However, many vendors have traditionally faced challenges in accessing formal banking, insurance, pension and government welfare systems.
Initiatives such as the Lok Kalyan Mela are designed to bring multiple services together at a single platform, making it easier for eligible beneficiaries to understand available schemes and complete the necessary processes.
The September campaign is therefore expected to function as both a welfare outreach programme and a financial empowerment initiative for street vendors in Yamunanagar.
The Municipal Corporation administration has appealed to all eligible rehri-patri operators, street vendors and small business owners to visit the Municipal Corporation office at Kanhaiya Sahib Chowk during the campaign period and obtain information and assistance regarding the various schemes.
By combining PM SVANidhi loan facilitation with insurance, pension, banking, ration portability, worker registration, digital inclusion and welfare programmes for women and families, the month-long Lok Kalyan Mela aims to ensure that eligible beneficiaries are not deprived of government support due to lack of information or difficulties in accessing the system.
The Municipal Corporation also plans to assist eligible beneficiaries with Building and Other Construction Workers registration, which can help registered workers access welfare measures available under the relevant labour welfare framework.
