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A day after an announcement by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a ₹13,000-crore fund for traditional craftsmen and artisans under the PM Vishwakarma scheme.
The scheme is set to benefit over 30 lakh craftsmen and artisans over the next five years.
Skilling programmes
“Under the scheme, there will be two types of skilling programmes – Basic and Advanced and a stipend of ₹500 per day will also be provided to beneficiaries while undergoing skills training,” Communication Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while briefing the media on Cabinet decisions here.
They will also get a support of up to ₹15,000 to buy modern tools, he added. He said in the first year, five lakh families will be covered and a total of 30 lakh families will be covered over five years from FY24 to FY28.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefs the media on Cabinet decisions, in New Delhi on Wednesday | Photo Credit: Kamal Singh
A government statement said: “The scheme aims to strengthen and nurture the ‘Guru-Shishya parampara’ or family-based practice of traditional skills by artisans and craftsmen working with their hands and tools.”
In India, traditional artisans and craftsmen culture is passed on for generations within families or taught through a teacher-student concept. Not only that, due to lack of means and support, the artisans and craftsmen often miss out on expansion and skilling opportunities, the statement added.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced that the scheme will not only improve the quality of products, but it will also help them expand the reach of their art and craft products both domestically and internationally. The Scheme will also provide skill upgradation, toolkit incentive, incentive for digital transactions of up to ₹1 on each transaction and marketing support.
Digital guide
Along with this, to improve their skills, a digital guide and a short video tutorial will be made available to facilitate learning. Not only that the scheme will also provide support to the artisans financially. Under the scheme, the ‘Vishwakarmas’ can avail credit support without collateral of up to ₹1 lakh (First Tranche) and ₹2 lakh (Second Tranche) with a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent. The credit support will be provided under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). The credit guarantee for the loan will be provided by the Central government.
Under the PM Vishwakarma scheme, the artisans and craftspeople will be provided recognition through the PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card. In the first tranche, eighteen traditional trades including carpenters, boat maker, armorer, blacksmith, goldsmith and potter among others will be included. The scheme will not be limited to traditional artisans and craftspeople of rural India, and it will be extended to those living in urban cities as well.
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