New Delhi, Apr 20 (KNN) Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised traders Rs 50 lakh loan without any collateral, credit card facility and a pension scheme for small shopkeepers as he made a strong re-election pitch to the business community.

He said this while addressing a Traders National Convention held at Talkatora Stadium here and also lauded the yeomen services rendered by business community in development of economy and the nation.

Modi termed their role as a backbone of country's economy.

Thousands of traders from Delhi and other States were present in the convention.

Welcoming the Prime Minister, CAIT in its press release said, “This meeting of Prime Minister with traders at a juncture when election campaigning is at a high swing assumes much significance and will favour BJP a lot. There are about 7 crore traders across Country which provide employment to more than 30 crore people. The traders have a dominant role on almost 195 Lok Sabha seats all over the Country and their voting pattern can influence the results to a great extent.”

Secretary General of CAIT, Praveen Khandelwal said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that BJP has included some of the very crucial and fundamental issues of the traders in its election manifesto and expressed hope than when in power again, Modi led Government will implement the declarations in a speedy way.

Khandelwal urged the Prime Minister to provide subsidy of 50% to the traders opting for computerization to take digital India down the line whereas the Bank charges up-to 2% levied on digital transactions should be off loaded from traders and consumers and the Government should directly subsidize these charges to Banks.

E-commerce policy should be made in such a way that it provides equal opportunity to all stakeholders and fair competition in the market, he said.

The Non-Banking Finance Companies and Micro Finance Institutions should be brought in place of Banks to provide loans to traders under Mudra Yojna. Various Acts, Laws and Rules governing trade should be reviewed. Traders should be compensated in event of natural calamity, Khandelwal urged.

 Further he added that infrastructural development of commercial markets across Country should be devised. A permanent solution to Delhi sealing should be brought in to provide relief to traders of Delhi.