Information about street vendors is being collected by government across all urban local bodies to help them tide over the crisis created by the lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has said.
It is targeted to enrol 5 lakh street vendors for issue of identity cards and sanctioning of ₹10,000 loan each at low interest rates through bank. Till now, a total of 2.16 lakh street vendors have been identified and registered, he informed.
Mr.Somesh Kumar, along with Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar, GHMC Commissioner D.S.Lokesh Kumar, and MEPMA MD Satyanarayana, visited the Rythu Bazar and surroundings areas in Mehdipatnam late on Thursday and interacted with the street vendors.
Information collected of street vendors is being uploaded every day through a special app. Once identity cards are issued, they will be eligible for various developmental schemes announced by government, Mr.Somesh Kumar informed. In order to speed up the enrolment, instructions have been issued to all departments, public representatives, additional collectors and commissioners.
Exemption for MSMEs
The State government has announced its decision to exempt micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from paying stamp duty for availing themselves of schemes under the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme.
The State government issued orders to this effect on Friday. It will benefit over 3.5 lakh vendors and one lakh MSMEs.
The MSME sector is likely to get loans up to ₹7,300 crore under the two Atmanirbhar Bharat schemes — Emergency Credit Line and Credit Guarantee Scheme for subordinate debt. The order will be operational till October 31 this year.
The decision follows the representation submitted by the MSME sector and street vendors about their inability to pay stamp duty of ₹1,000 and ₹400 respectively. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar took the matter to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the latter immediately directed the officials to release the notification in this regard.
The Chief Secretary on Friday conducted a video-conference with representatives of district industries centres, Collectors and lead managers of banks to inform them of the government’s decision.
Officials ‘attacked’
GHMC Town Planning officials were reportedly attacked by locals in Chandanagar on Friday, when they went to clear encroachments.
As per the version of the Circle level officials, local residents complained about temporary sheds constructed blocking the road between Chandanagar and Ameenpur, prompting officials to act on it.
When Town Planning officials approached the location to clear encroachments, the vehicle they were travelling in was attacked by two persons, they said.