The National Urban Livelihoods Mission or NULM is an initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The primary idea behind it is to bring about a definitive reduction in poverty and to usher in the development of the urban poor.
This development would be brought about by enabling them to better means to self-employment and skilled-wage employment opportunities. This results in an improvement in the livelihoods of the urban poor on a decently sustainable scale.
The change is brought about at the grassroots level of the urban poor by linking them to the start-up revolution and the sense of entrepreneurship in India. The mission aims at providing shelter to the homeless in a phased and systematic manner.
Salient features of the NULM
- Self-employment programs: the aim of the mission is to allow people to sustain themselves on a regular basis instead of being reliant on government funding for their livelihood. The urban poor who wish to invest in self-employment ventures can avail of a bank loan on a 7% rate of interest. An individual can get a loan for projects up to INR 2 Lakhs for setting up individual micro-enterprises. For a group of the urban poor, loan availability extends to INR 10 Lakhs.
- Self-help groups: All SHGs can avail bank loans on a 7% Rate of Interest. An additional 3% interest subvention would be provided to women SHGs who repay the loans on time. Therefore, in case of timely payments, Women SHGs would have an effective rate of Interest of only 4%.
- Urban Street vendors: The NULM supports the development of the vendor market by providing vending zones and infrastructural facilities like water supply, electricity and storage space, etc.
In conclusion
These benefits provided by the NULM make it easier for the Urban poor to sustain a healthy lifestyle for themselves and for the generations to come forth.
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