In poll-bound Kerala, Modi launches PM SVANidhi Credit Card for the poor, flags off 3 Amrit Bharat Express trains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of and inaugurated several key developmental projects in poll-bound Kerala.

At an event in Thiruvananthapuram, PM Modi also launched the PM SVANidhi Credit Card and disbursed PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries. He further virtually flagged off three new Amrit Bharat trains – Nagercoil-Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram, and Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli – and a new passenger train between Thrissur and Guruvayur.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the PM said his government’s efforts for development in Kerala have received a new impetus today and the state’s rail connectivity has been further strengthened. Modi said his government has also made significant efforts to make Thiruvananthapuram a major startup hub.

Speaking on the key initiative of PM SVANidhi Credit Card, the PM said the move will benefit poor people across the country. “Today, PM SVANidhi Credit Card has been launched. This will benefit street vendors, street carts and footpath hawkers across the country,” Modi stated.

The PM further underscored that improvements in urban infrastructure have been a key pillar of his government’s development initiatives across the country.

“To build a Viksit Bharat, the entire country is making a collective effort. In building Viksit Bharat, our cities are playing a major role. In the last 11 years, the Centre has been investing a lot in urban infrastructure,” he said.

“The Central government is doing a lot of work for the urban poor families too. Under PM Awas Yojana, more than four crore houses have been built in the country and given to the poor. Among these, more than one crore houses have been built for the urban poor. About 1.25 lakh urban poor of Kerala have received their pucca houses,” he added.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan, on the occasion, thanked PM Modi for coming to Kerala to launch a number of developmental projects.

Listing the key initiatives, Vijayan told the gathering that these include “the laying of the foundation stone of CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub, inauguration of Poojappura Head Post Office Building, launch of PM SVANIDHI scheme that caters to one lakh beneficiaries. Handing over of credit cards and loan disbursement cheques to the beneficiaries also are being done here in this function. Three new Amrit Bharat trains and one passenger train are also being flagged off here. These are of great significance so far as Keralam is concerned.”

Vijayan expressed gratitude to the NDA government at the Centre for approving several projects meant for Kerala, but also expressed the hope that such approvals will continue to flow in the times to come as well.

“I do hope that the genuine demands of Keralam relating to various other fields also will be met in due course, and the Prime Minister will see to it that all those will be implemented in a time-bound manner,” he stated.

Among the projects launched by PM Modi in Kerala today, the PM SVANidhi Credit Card stands out as it marks the next phase of financial inclusion for street vendors. According to the government, the UPI-linked, interest-free revolving credit facility will provide instant liquidity, promote digital transactions, and help beneficiaries build formal credit histories.

As regards the launch of the Amrit Bharat Express trains, Kerala’s rail connectivity will get a major boost as the launch these services will significantly enhance long-distance and regional connectivity between Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.