opengovasia.com (31.05.2026) India’s PM SVANidhi scheme is strengthening financial inclusion for street vendors by providing affordable working capital loans, digital payment incentives and links to social welfare programmes. Introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative supports vendors whose livelihoods depend on small daily transactions and who often lack access to formal credit. According to information released by the Government of India, the programme has already supported millions of vendors nationwide and will now continue lending until March 2030. The scheme, implemented jointly by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Financial Services, offers structured microcredit alongside incentives for digital payments and financial literacy. Details published by the government through the Press Information Bureau outline how the programme aims to improve economic resilience among informal urban workers while integrating them into the formal financial system.