Prime Minister Narendra Modi Hails SVANidhi Scheme Amid BJP's Hawker Eviction Drives in Bengal Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the PM SVANidhi scheme, a government initiative designed to support street vendors through collateral-free loans and financial inclusion, as bulldozers in Bengal intensified efforts to remove unauthorized stalls and shops under the BJP-led state government. Modi’s remarks came amid growing tensions over the eviction drives, which have targeted hawkers operating in public spaces across Kolkata and surrounding regions. The PM’s post on X celebrated the scheme’s six-year anniversary, highlighting its role in transforming the lives of street vendors by providing access to affordable credit, fostering economic growth, and promoting financial inclusion. “This scheme is all about trust, dignity, and empowerment,” Modi wrote, adding his best wishes to beneficiaries whose “determination and enterprise continue to strengthen our nation’s economy.” The timing of Modi’s endorsement coincided with a surge in eviction operations led by the BJP government in Bengal. In Dum Dum, a suburb of Kolkata, authorities carried out an overnight demolition drive that removed approximately 150 stalls and roadside shops, displacing nearly 200 hawkers. The affected vendors included those selling food, fruits, toys, and daily essentials, many of whom had operated in the area for years, some for decades. Local officials and sources told PTI that the operation focused on clearing illegal structures and unauthorized encroachments, a move the BJP attributed to the Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s alleged support for such activities during its 15-year rule. The TMC, in turn, condemned the BJP’s actions, accusing the government of “bulldozing the dreams of poor hawkers.#kolkata #bjp #trinamool_congress #prime_minister_narendra_modi #pm_svanidhi_scheme
