Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (September 17) launched the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme for the benefit of traditional artisans. The scheme was first introduced during PM Modi’s Independence Day address this year where he said that the government will launch a scheme for individuals skilled in traditional craftmanship.
During the launch of the Vishwakarma scheme, PM Modi said, “Under the PM Vishwakarma scheme, the government will provide up to Rs 3 lakhs loan without any (bank) guarantee. It has also been ensured that the interest rate is also very low. Govt has decided that Rs 1 lakh loan will be given in the beginning and when it is repaid, govt will provide additional Rs 2 lakhs loan to the Vishwakarma partners”.
Features of the Vishwakarma scheme
PM Vishwakarma’s scheme will provide support to artisans and craftspeople in rural and urban areas across India. The scheme will be fully funded by the Central government with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore.
Under the scheme, the prospective beneficiaries will be registered free of charge through common services centres using the biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal.
The objective of the scheme is improving the quality as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and ensuring that they are integrated with the domestic and global value chains. Through the scheme, the government is eyeing socially marginalised and economic backward groups, particularly the Other Backward Classes (OBC) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
What is Scheme Named After?
As per the Hindu mythology, Vishwakarma is the architect of the gods, the divine carpenter and the master craftsman who fashioned the weapons of the gods and built their cities and chariots, The Indian Express reported.
According to legends, he was the architect of the mythical city Lanka mentioned in the Ramayana and is also said to have made the great image of Jagannatha at Puri in Odisha. He is also considered the patron deity of workers, artisans, and artists.
Who Will Benefit?
The scheme is meant for professionals engaged in traditional crafts and skills for centuries and faced economic and other problems. This will greatly benefit the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, women and people belonging to the weaker sections. The scheme is aimed at offering them financial support to upgrade their skillset, tools and set-up.
As per the scheme, 18 traditional trades will be covered. They are:
- Carpenter
- Boat Maker
- Armourer
- Blacksmiths
- Hammer and Tool Kit Maker
- Locksmith
- Goldsmith
- Potters
- Sculptor
- Stone Breaker
- Cobbler
- Mason
- Basket/Mat/Broom Maker/Coir Weaver
- Doll and Toy Maker (Traditional)
- Barber
- Garland Maker
- Washerman
- Tailor
- Fishing Net Maker
Process Explained
The scheme will help the workers enhance the skills and help them avail loans easily to aid their earnings. A total of 30 lakh families will be covered under the project from FY24 to FY28 and in the first year, five lakh families will be covered.
The beneficiaries of the scheme will be provided recognition through a PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, and skill upgradation involving basic and advanced training.
The beneficiaries of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme will be given a toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000, collateral-free credit support up to Rs 1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs 2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5%, incentive for digital transactions and marketing support.
A toolkit booklet has been released in 12 Indian languages, with video elements to support the knowledge of workers on new technologies in their field.
Skill Support
The government will also services like basic training, advanced training and training stipend as part of the scheme.
Once the skill verification is done, it will be followed by 5-7 days (40 hours) of basic training. The interested candidates can also enroll for 15 days (120 hours) of advanced training.
The training stipend will be Rs 500 per day while the toolkit incentive will be one-time payment of Rs 15,000.
How to Register?
There are four steps for the registration for the scheme. In the first step ‘Mobile and Aadhaar Verification’, all the applicants need to authenticate their mobile and Aadhaar details. In the second step, the applicants can fill the artisan registration form. Then the government will issue a Digital ID and PM Vishwakarma Certificate which can be downloaded from the website: pmvishwakarma.gov.in. In the final step, the applicants can start applying for the loans.
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