What is PM SVANidhi and who qualifies? What if I am not on the survey list?

PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) is a Central Government working capital loan scheme under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched in 2020. It provides collateral-free loans to street vendors: ₹10,000 as a first loan, ₹20,000 as a second loan (after timely repayment), and ₹50,000 as a third loan. To be eligible, a vendor must either appear on the street vendor survey list prepared by the Urban Local Body (ULB) under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, or must hold a Certificate of Vending (CoV) or Letter of Recommendation (LoR) issued by the ULB's Town Vending Committee (TVC). If a vendor believes their name was wrongly left off the survey list, RTI is an effective first step: it can establish whether the vendor's name was surveyed, whether it was accepted or rejected and on what basis, and whether the survey was conducted in the vendor's vending area at all. With the RTI response, the vendor can approach the TVC or ULB for correction or apply for inclusion using Form II under the Street Vendors Act.

My Certificate of Vending application has been pending for months. How does RTI help?

The Certificate of Vending (CoV) is issued by the Town Vending Committee (TVC) — a statutory body under the Street Vendors Act, 2014, constituted by the ULB. The TVC is required to hold regular meetings to process CoV applications. If your CoV is delayed, RTI can establish: (1) whether the TVC for your ward or zone has been constituted at all — if not, the ULB is in non-compliance with the Act; (2) whether the TVC held a meeting during the period your application was pending — and if so, whether your application was placed before the TVC; (3) whether a CoV has been issued or the application rejected, and the reason. A RTI response showing that no TVC meeting was held, or that your application was not placed before the TVC despite being filed, creates a formal record to support a complaint to the ULB Commissioner or the State Urban Development Department.

My PM SVANidhi loan application was rejected by the bank. Can I use RTI against the bank?

RTI applies only to public authorities as defined under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. Scheduled commercial banks (public sector banks) are public authorities under RTI; however, private banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), and NBFCs are generally not covered. If your loan was rejected by a public sector bank (such as SBI, PNB, or Bank of Baroda), you can file RTI with that bank asking for the specific reason for rejection and the criteria applied. However, the more common issue with PM SVANidhi rejection at the loan stage is that the vendor does not have a valid CoV or LoR, or the ULB-submitted data does not match the bank's records. For those issues — survey list eligibility, CoV issuance, and ULB data submitted to the lender — RTI to the ULB or Municipal Corporation is the appropriate channel. RTI to the ULB cannot compel the bank to sanction a loan, but it can identify and correct a deficiency in the vendor's eligibility documentation.

I was evicted from my vending spot without notice. Can RTI establish whether proper procedure was followed?

Yes. Section 18 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 prescribes a specific procedure that must be followed before a street vendor can be relocated or evicted: a notice must be given, an opportunity to be heard must be provided, and compensation or an alternative vending site must be offered in certain cases. If you were displaced without following this procedure, RTI can establish: (1) whether any notice was issued to [Vendor Name] before the eviction action and the date of such notice; (2) whether an opportunity to be heard was provided before the decision to evict; (3) whether the vending spot falls within a designated vending zone or a no-vending zone notified by the ULB, and the relevant notification; (4) whether a complaint about the eviction was received by the ULB and what action was taken. The RTI response creates an official record documenting whether the ULB complied with the Act — which can be used to file a complaint before the State Urban Development Department, the Town Vending Committee, or a court.

What do I do if the ULB or Municipal Corporation does not respond to my RTI within 30 days?

If the PIO of the ULB or Municipal Corporation does not respond within 30 days of receipt of your RTI application (or within 35 days if transferred to another authority), you have the following options. First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the ULB or Municipal Corporation within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. The FAA is typically a senior officer designated at the ULB. Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA does not respond or the response is unsatisfactory, file a second appeal with the State Information Commission (SIC) of your state within 90 days. Since ULBs and Municipal Corporations are state-level public authorities, the second appeal always goes to the State SIC — not the Central Information Commission (CIC). CIC jurisdiction applies only if you filed the RTI with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs directly.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI for PM SVANidhi — Street Vendor Loan, Certificate of Vending and TVC Records

Central Government

How to File RTI for PM SVANidhi — Street Vendor Loan, Certificate of Vending and TVC Records

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI for PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) for street vendor survey list eligibility, Certificate of Vending (CoV) issuance status, Town Vending Committee (TVC) constitution, ULB loan sanction data, vending zone notification, and complaint action for vendor displacement. File with ULB/Municipal Corporation (State SIC) or Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (CIC). Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Address RTI ToCPIO, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110011 / PIO, Town Vending Committee / Municipal Corporation (relevant city)

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rtionline.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) is a Central Government scheme launched in 2020 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to provide collateral-free working capital loans to street vendors — ₹10,000 as a first loan, ₹20,000 as a second loan, and ₹50,000 as a third loan. The scheme operates through a statutory framework established by the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which mandates Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to conduct vendor surveys, issue Certificates of Vending (CoV) through Town Vending Committees (TVCs), and notify vending zones.

ULBs and Municipal Corporations are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, and are bound to disclose information about scheme implementation, survey records, CoV status, TVC constitution and proceedings, and vendor displacement actions. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, as the Central nodal agency, is also a public authority under RTI for policy-level information.

PM SVANidhi Process: Who is Responsible and When to RTI

Stage	Responsible Authority	What RTI Can Obtain	Second Appeal Body
Street vendor survey (eligibility)	ULB / Municipal Corporation	Whether vendor's name is on the survey list, survey date, reason for exclusion	State SIC
Certificate of Vending (CoV) issuance	Town Vending Committee (TVC) via ULB	CoV application status, whether TVC met, date of recommendation or rejection, reason	State SIC
Letter of Recommendation (LoR) for vending	ULB	Whether LoR was issued to the vendor and on what date	State SIC
Loan application	Bank / MFI / NBFC (lender)	Reason for loan rejection (public sector banks only; MFIs/NBFCs not covered by RTI)	CIC (public sector banks) / Not applicable (private)
Loan sanction data (ULB-level)	ULB / Municipal Corporation	Number of loans sanctioned and disbursed in the ULB for the current year	State SIC
Digital transaction incentive	Lender / ULB	Whether incentive credited, status of cashback claim	State SIC / CIC
Vendor displacement / eviction	ULB / Municipal Corporation	Whether notice was issued, procedure under Section 18 of Street Vendors Act followed, complaint action	State SIC
Vending zone notification	ULB / Municipal Corporation	Whether a zone is notified for the area, terms of vending, no-vending zones	State SIC
Policy-level scheme data	Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs	National/state-level loan sanction numbers, scheme guidelines, MoHUA circulars	CIC

RTI vs. Bank Grievance: Knowing the Right Channel

RTI to a ULB and RTI or a grievance to a bank serve different purposes under PM SVANidhi.

RTI to the ULB or Municipal Corporation is appropriate for:

Whether the vendor's name appears on the street vendor survey list
Status of the Certificate of Vending or Letter of Recommendation
Whether the Town Vending Committee has been constituted and held meetings
ULB-level loan sanction data and scheme implementation records
Whether a vending zone has been notified for an area
Whether proper procedure was followed before vendor eviction

RTI or grievance to the bank is appropriate for:

The specific reason a PM SVANidhi loan application was rejected by the lender
Whether funds were disbursed and on what date
Status of the digital transaction cashback

Note that private banks, MFIs, and NBFCs are not public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. For loan rejection by these entities, use the bank's internal grievance mechanism or approach the RBI Banking Ombudsman. For rejection by public sector banks, RTI is available.

A loan rejection by the bank often traces back to an issue at the ULB level — the vendor lacking a valid CoV, or a data mismatch in the ULB's submission to the lender. Resolving the ULB-level issue (using RTI if needed) typically clears the path for re-application.

Common RTI Use Cases

Issue	What to Ask	What to Expect
Name missing from vendor survey list	Whether the vendor's name was surveyed in Location, date of survey, reason for non-inclusion	Official list status; can use to apply for inclusion via Form II under Street Vendors Act
Certificate of Vending not issued	CoV application status, whether TVC meeting was held, date of recommendation or rejection	Establishes delay or procedural lapse; basis for complaint to ULB Commissioner
TVC not constituted in ward	Whether TVC for Ward Name is constituted, composition, date of last meeting	Non-constitution of TVC is a violation of Section 22 of the Street Vendors Act
Loan sanction numbers for the area	PM SVANidhi loans sanctioned/disbursed by ULB in current financial year by loan type	Useful for activists, journalists, and vendors checking scheme reach
Wrongful eviction from vending spot	Whether notice under Section 18 was issued, complaint received, action taken	Documents whether ULB followed legal procedure; basis for legal remedy
Vending zone status	Whether area is notified as a vending zone or no-vending zone, relevant notification	Establishes whether eviction or restriction has a legal basis

Where to File

For ULB / TVC / Municipal Corporation Queries (Most Individual Cases)

File with the PIO of the relevant Municipal Corporation or Urban Local Body through your state's RTI portal.

Every state maintains an online RTI portal. Common state RTI portals:

Delhi: rtidelhiportal.gov.in
Maharashtra: aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in/RTI
Uttar Pradesh: rtionline.up.gov.in
Other states: Search "State name RTI online portal"

In Delhi, file with the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) — now unified — for CoV, TVC records, vendor survey list, and vending zone queries.

You can also file a physical RTI by sending a written application by registered post with a ₹10 Indian Postal Order to the PIO of the Municipal Corporation.

For Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (Policy-Level Queries)

File on rtionline.gov.in → Select "Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs" → Select the relevant department.

Use Ministry-level RTI for: national or state-wise scheme data, MoHUA circulars and guidelines on CoV timelines, instructions on TVC constitution, and questions about the PM SVANidhi scheme design.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Survey list and eligibility:

Whether Vendor Name, Aadhaar last 4 digits, vending at Location, Ward Name/Number, appears on the ULB's street vendor survey list — and if so, whether the status is verified/eligible, pending, or excluded, with the reason for exclusion
The date on which the street vendor survey was conducted in Location/Ward and the total number of vendors surveyed

Certificate of Vending and TVC: 3. The current status of the CoV application of Vendor Name — whether issued, pending, or rejected; if rejected, the date and reason 4. Whether the Town Vending Committee (TVC) for Ward Name/Number has been constituted under Section 22 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 — the composition, date of constitution, and date of the most recent meeting 5. Whether the TVC held a meeting during specific period at which CoV applications for Ward Name/Number were considered

Loan and scheme data: 6. PM SVANidhi loans sanctioned and disbursed through this ULB in the current financial year — by loan type (first, second, third loan) 7. Total Certificates of Vending issued by this ULB in the current financial year

Vending zones and displacement: 8. Whether a vending zone or no-vending zone has been notified for Area/Street Name — the relevant notification and date 9. Whether any notice was issued to Vendor Name before eviction from Location on Date, and whether the procedure under Section 18 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 was followed

Complaints: 10. Whether a complaint about wrongful displacement of Vendor Name was received by this office and the action taken, with dates

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If the PIO does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete or unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the same authority (ULB, Municipal Corporation, or Ministry) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File within 90 days of the FAA order (or its non-receipt).

ULB / Municipal Corporation RTIs → State Information Commission (SIC) of the relevant state. ULBs are state-level public authorities; second appeals always go to the SIC regardless of which city you are in.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs RTIs → Central Information Commission (CIC), New Delhi.

Note: Even in Delhi, RTIs against MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) go to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC, Section 15) — not the CIC — because MCD is a Delhi State authority. RTIs against the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (a Central Government body) go to the CIC.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
[Municipal Corporation / Urban Local Body]
[City, State]
[OR: CPIO, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110011]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — PM SVANidhi Survey List Eligibility, Certificate of Vending Status, and Town Vending Committee Records

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], street vendor, residing at [Full Address], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Vendor details:
  Vendor's Full Name: [Full Name]
  Aadhaar Number (last 4 digits only): [XXXX]
  Vending Location: [Specific street / market / area where vending is carried out]
  Ward / Zone: [Ward Name and Number]
  City / ULB: [Name of Municipal Corporation / Urban Local Body]

Information sought:

1. Whether the name of [Vendor Name], Aadhaar [last 4 digits], vending at [Location], Ward [Name/Number], appears on the street vendor survey list prepared by this ULB under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 — and if so, whether the vendor's status is verified/eligible, pending verification, or excluded, along with the specific reason for any exclusion.

2. The current status of the application for Certificate of Vending (CoV) submitted by [Vendor Name] — whether the CoV has been issued, is pending with the Town Vending Committee, or has been rejected; if rejected, the specific reason for rejection and the date of decision.

3. Whether the Town Vending Committee (TVC) for Ward [Name/Number] or Zone [Name] has been constituted as required under Section 22 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 — if constituted, the composition of the TVC, the date of constitution, and the date of the most recent TVC meeting. If not constituted, the reasons for non-constitution.

4. The total number of PM SVANidhi loans sanctioned and disbursed through this ULB in the current financial year — broken down by loan type (₹10,000 first loan, ₹20,000 second loan, ₹50,000 third loan) — and the total number of Certificates of Vending issued to vendors in this ULB in the current financial year.

5. Whether a vending zone has been notified for [Area/Street Name] under this ULB, and if so, the terms and conditions of vending applicable in that zone and whether [Vendor Name]'s vending spot falls within the notified zone.

6. Whether any complaint about the wrongful displacement or eviction of [Vendor Name] from vending at [Location] was received by this office — the date of receipt, the action taken, and whether the procedure prescribed under Section 18 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 was followed before any displacement.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

---

Alternative — for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (policy-level queries):

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110011

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — PM SVANidhi Scheme Data and Policy Implementation

Sir/Madam,

I submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 to seek the following information relating to PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi):

1. The total number of PM SVANidhi first loans (₹10,000), second loans (₹20,000), and third loans (₹50,000) sanctioned and disbursed nationally and in [State] as of the most recent available date.

2. Whether any scheme guidelines, circulars, or instructions issued by the Ministry prescribe a time limit for ULBs to issue Certificates of Vending to eligible street vendors — and if so, the relevant document.

3. Whether any monitoring mechanism exists at the Ministry level to track ULBs that have not constituted a Town Vending Committee as required under Section 22 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014, and the list of non-compliant ULBs if maintained.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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