Street Vendors Were Provided 3.2 Mn Collateral Free Loans To Revive Businesses: Yadav

During Covid-19, India not only provided free vaccination to its entire population but also extended free delivery of food and food grains, health services and assured employment, said Union Minister Bhupender Yadav while addressing the plenary session of the 110th International Labour Conference (ILC) of ILO at Geneva. 

Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, about 72 million households availed of work under the scheme from April 2020 to March 2021 alone, he said. 

Yadav added that during this period, a new scheme was started to incentivise employers to create new jobs and to re-employ those who lost their jobs during the pandemic period by paying from the budget shares of both employees’ and employers’ at the rate of 12 per cent of wages.

"In the same period, cash transfers were made directly to the bank accounts of 200 million women during the Covid-19 pandemic period," he said. 

Yadav also said that about 3.2 million street vendors were provided collateral-free loans to help them resume their businesses under the Swanidhi Scheme.

"India has made significant reforms to improve female labour force participation rate. The duration of maternity leave increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Provisions for ‘work from home’ and crèche facilities have been made in establishments with 50 or more employees by amending the existing act," he added.