The Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has modified the guidelines for the implementation of National Urban Livelihoods Mission by relaxing the norms, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Under the new guidelines, banks will now been allowed to directly accept applications from the beneficiaries for extending subsidised loans for setting up individual and group enterprises under the self-employment programme component.

Moreover, one bank will be designated as the nodal agency for each State to coordinate with all other banks to increase banking linkages for loan support under this component.

“Norms for the formation of self-help groups of urban poor have been relaxed allowing up to 10 members to form a group in hilly tracts and tribal areas as against the earlier norm of 20 members,” the statement added.

Men involved in vulnerable occupations such as sanitation workers, rag pickers, and rickshaw pullers are now allowed to form such groups which would be eligible for bank loans and a revolving fund of ₹10,000 per group.

The governing council for the mission has also allowed construction of shelters for urban homeless with corporate social responsibility funds and other donations allowing the display of names of such donors.

Convergence of National Urban Livelihoods Mission with other schemes like Prime Minister’s Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Skill Development, Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana and various social security schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana etc. besides ensuring Aadhar linkages, has been permitted.

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