Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, 30 August, spotlighted Babita Sharma, a street vendor from Ghaziabad, as a symbol of women's entrepreneurial resilience under the PM SVANidhi scheme. Modi recounted how Sharma transformed a roadside worship-items stall into a full-fledged shop, crediting the government's micro-credit initiative for enabling her turnaround.

From Hardship to Empowerment

Sharma's journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she was left to fend for herself and her children after being abandoned by her husband. Learning about the PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme through an acquaintance, she applied for and received an initial loan of ₹10,000. Through sustained effort, she graduated to loans of ₹20,000 and subsequently ₹50,000, steadily expanding her stock and customer base.

Today, Sharma runs an established shop and is able to fund her children's education — a trajectory she described as unimaginable in the early months of the pandemic.

What the Prime Minister Said

Modi elaborated on Sharma's story during the broadcast, noting the nature of her original business. 'Babita ji used to run a small stall selling items for worship — such as flowers, earthen lamps, incense sticks, and coconuts — thereby contributing to her family's livelihood. She worked very hard, but capital was needed to grow the business. She received financial assistance through PM SVANidhi. She increased her stock and expanded her business. Her customer base and income grew, and gradually, her small roadside stall transformed into a proper shop,' the Prime Minister said.

Modi used her example to underscore how the scheme can help women attain a renewed standing in society — framing it as a vehicle for both financial inclusion and social mobility.

Official Acknowledgement

Priya Saraswat, an official with the District Urban Development Agency (DUDA), also acknowledged Sharma's progression, noting her loan trajectory from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 as a model of incremental credit utilisation under the scheme.

About the PM SVANidhi Scheme

The PM SVANidhi scheme was launched in June 2020 as a first-of-its-kind micro-credit initiative targeting street vendors, backed by a government credit guarantee. What began as an emergency relief measure during the pandemic has since evolved into a broader movement for financial empowerment and digital inclusion among India's informal urban workforce. Millions of vendors across the country have availed collateral-free working capital loans under the programme since its inception.

Broader Significance

Sharma's mention in 'Mann Ki Baat' — one of India's most widely heard public addresses — brings national visibility to a demographic that rarely features in mainstream policy conversations. This comes amid the government's continued emphasis on women-led development as a pillar of its social and economic agenda. Notably, SVANidhi beneficiaries have increasingly been cited in official communications as evidence of grassroots financial inclusion at scale.

With Sharma's story now part of the national narrative, attention will turn to how effectively the scheme continues to reach the most vulnerable street vendors across urban India.