Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that changes will be made in the self-employment schemes of the state, so that talented youth and those engaged in small businesses can get respectable means of livelihood and financial security.

Chouhan was addressing a state level rural street vendors’ loan distribution programme organized at Minto Hall on Monday. He deposited interest-free loan amount of Rs 10,000 in the accounts of 20,000 rural street vendors (rural small businessmen) in the state by a single click. Interest-free loan of Rs 10 thousand is provided to rural small businessmen from banks for their work under the Chief Minister's Path Vendors Scheme. The state government gives the credit guarantee. Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Minister of State for Panchayat and Rural Development, Ramkhelavan Patel, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Shrivastava, Principal Secretary Sachin Sinha, M.S. Belwal were present on stage at the loan distribution programme.

Chouhan said in his address that rural street vendors should do their business in a relaxed manner. The state government will extend support for their socio-economic empowerment wherever needed. The government endeavours to provide employment, respect and security to street vendors so that they can carry on their business with dignity and lead a prosperous life.

The Chief Minister said that at one time only big businessmen used to get loans from banks. Banks did not give loans to small traders. Under the state government scheme, small traders have been provided loans on the guarantee of the government. Small vendors had to wind up their business during Corona period. The Prime Minister formulated the urban street vendors scheme and the state government formulated the rural street vendors scheme.

Earlier small traders used to take money from moneylenders at high rate of interest. Now they need not take money from these moneylenders. The state government has also made a law to control those who pay money on interest. Licensed moneylenders can lend money on interest at the rate fixed by the state government.

Chouhan said that it is being noticed that big companies are also starting small trades, due to which small businessmen will be at a loss. But Madhya Pradesh government has resolved to make such rules that the small businessmen will remain unaffected.

Chouhan said that more than 8.52 lakh beneficiaries have been registered under the Chief Ministers Rural Street Vendors Scheme. So far, the loan has been disbursed to more than 60,000 beneficiaries. This work will continue every month.