'PM Vishwakarma' scheme to hone skills of artisans, says Union Minister

Amritsar, September 17

With a view to giving the credit support as well as upgrade the skill of traditional artisans and crafts people on Vishwakarma Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ Scheme.

A programme on this occasion was organised today at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, which was attended by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Housing and Urban Affairs, along with large number of artisans and crafts people.

benefits

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• Skill upgrade involving basic & advanced training
• Toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000 to beneficiaries
• Incentive for digital transactions
• Marketing support will also be provided

Addressing a gathering, Puri said the scheme would prove beneficial for the people engaged in the informal sector. “Besides providing financial support, this scheme will also upgrade the skills of targeted people”, he said.

The scheme aims to strengthen the Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills of ‘Vishwakarmas’ working with their hands and tools.

Under the scheme, the Vishwakarmas will be registered free of charge through Common Services Centres using biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal. They will be provided recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card. Skill upgrade involving basic and advanced training, 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 per cent and incentive for digital transactions and marketing support will also be provided.

Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice Chancellor, GNDU, said the launch of this scheme reminded him the time when Deen Dyal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana was started.

The prime focus of the PM Vishwakarma was improving the quality as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and to ensure that they were integrated with the domestic and global value chains.

The scheme would provide support to artisans of rural and urban areas, across India.