Education Budget 2023: FM Sitharaman Announces PM VIKAS Initiative, What it Means?

The Union Budget 2023 announced a unique initiative called PM VIKAS or the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman, that aims to empower skilled people who are engaged in various traditional and skilled professions. They will get support in form of skilling, technology, credit, and more, said finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“Those toiling traditionally through their hands for the country, ‘Vishvakarma’ are the creators of this country. For the first time scheme related to training & support for ‘Vishvakarma’ has been brought into the budget,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after Sitharaman’s budget speech concluded.

As per estimates, it will benefit a large number of people in the country, she added. Members of Vishwakarma community from different states of the country include:

Achar

Achari

Achari Thacher

Achary

Acharya

Akkasale

Arkasalli

Asari

Asari Oddi

Asula

Ausul or Kamsali

Badhel

Badiger

Bagga

Bailapathara

Bailukammara

Bhadivadlla

Bhardwaj

Bidhani

Bishwakarma

Bogaara

Bose

Brahmalu

Chari

Chatuevedi

Chettian

Chikkamanes

Chipegara

Chola

Choudry

Das

Devgan

Devkamlakar

Dhiman

Dhole

Dwivedi

Gajjar

Geed

Gejjigar

Gijjegara

Gill

Gujjar

Janger

Jangid

Kalsi

Kamar

Kambhara

Kammalan

Kammalar

Kammalar

Kammara

Kammari

Kammiyar

Kamsala

Kamsali

Kanchari

Kanchugara

Kannalan

Kannalar

Kannar (brass worker)

The finance minister also announced the setting up of a total of 30 Skill India International Centres to skill the youth for international opportunities. Further, in the next three years, the centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for 740 Eklavaya Model Residential Schools for serving 3.5 lakh tribal students, the minister added.

The finance minister has also announced the setting up of a total of 157 new nursing colleges in colocation with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014. Select facilities at ICMR labs will be made available to outsiders for research. A new programme to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals will also be launched. A Direct Benefit Transfer under a pan India national apprenticeship scheme will be rolled out to provide support to 47 lakh youths in three years.

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