A small-scale shopkeeper from Madurai, Nationalam Mani, has received a personal reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi after writing a thank-you note to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in New Delhi — a gesture Mani describes as a 'priceless treasure' he will cherish for life. The letter came in response to Mani's gratitude for the support he received under the Centre's PM SVANidhi street vendor loan scheme.

A Family Shop, Six Decades Old

Nationalam Mani's family has operated a small shop in Madurai since 1962, when his father first set it up. Over the decades, the business grew alongside the family's needs, but financial constraints periodically tested its survival. The turning point came when Mani learned about the zero-balance bank account initiative and, through a visit to his local branch, discovered the loan facility available for street vendors under the Central government's scheme.

Loans Availed and Repaid on Time

Mani initially availed a loan of ₹10,000, which he repaid in full. Encouraged by the experience, he subsequently took loans of ₹20,000 and ₹50,000, repaying both on schedule. He later applied for a fourth loan of ₹50,000, which was disbursed through Canara Bank after a waiting period of approximately one month — a loan he is currently in the process of repaying. According to Mani, the scheme's low interest rates and timely availability made it possible to sustain the business without significant financial hardship.

The Letter That Reached the PMO

The idea to write to the Prime Minister came after Mani read a newspaper interview in which PM Modi mentioned that the government had extended benefits worth several lakh crore rupees to street vendors across the country. Wanting to personally express his gratitude, Mani sought the help of a customer who drafted a brief thank-you note in English. He typed and dispatched the letter to the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi.

What followed surprised him: officials from Delhi contacted him by phone after reading the letter, and a few days later, a personal reply arrived from the PMO. Mani described receiving the letter as a moment of immense pride and a special honour — one he intends to preserve as a family keepsake.

A Message to Fellow Vendors

Mani has appealed to other street vendors who have benefited from the scheme to adhere to its guidelines and repay loans on time, so that the programme can continue to expand and reach more people across the country. He noted that PM Modi had, through various government schemes, supported countless vendors like himself, and that his own journey from a ₹10,000 loan to a ₹50,000 credit line reflects what consistent repayment can unlock within the scheme's framework.

The exchange between a decades-old Madurai shop and the Prime Minister's Office underscores the human dimension of welfare policy — and how individual beneficiaries are increasingly finding ways to close the feedback loop with the government.