Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme to support traditional artisans and craftspeople of rural and urban India.
The scheme, with a financial outlay of Rs 13,000 crore for a period of five years, aims to strengthen and nurture the Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills by artisans and craftspeople working with their hands and tools, an official release said.
The scheme also aims at improving the quality, as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to ensure that the Vishwakarmas are integrated with the domestic and global value chains. Modi had announced the launch of the scheme in his address to the nation from the ramparts of te Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day on Tuesday.
“In the days to come, we will launch a scheme on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti, benefiting individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship, particularly from the OBC community. Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and such families will be empowered through the Vishwakarma Yojana,” the PM had said.
Under the scheme, the artisans and craftspeople will be provided recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, Credit Support upto Rs 1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs 2 lakh (second tranche) with a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent.
The scheme will further provide Skill Upgradation, Toolkit Incentive, Incentive for Digital Transactions and Marketing Support, the CCEA said in its statement. Eighteen traditional trades, including carpenters, boat makers, blacksmiths, locksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, sculptors, cobblers, and masons, will be covered in the first instance under PM Vishwakarma.
Meanwhile, under the scheme’s ‘Green Urban Mobility Initiative’ infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities and the NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems will be updated in 181 cities.
The scheme will cover cities having a population of 3 lakh and above. Also, priority will be given to cities having no organised bus service. The total estimated cost of the scheme has been pegged at Rs 57,613 crore, out of which support of Rs 20,000 crore will be provided by the central government.
