Under this scheme it is envisaged to provide all necessary assistance to the traditional craftsmen and artisans for the expansion of their traditional products and services.
1) The objectives of the scheme are as follows.
Recognition of artisans as Vishwakarma so that they are eligible for all the benefits under the scheme.
To provide skill enhancement to enhance their skills and provide them with career related and appropriate training opportunities.
Providing support for better and modern tools to increase efficiency, productivity and quality of products.
Making unsecured loans easy to the desired beneficiaries and reducing the debt burden by providing interest concessions.
Encouraging digital transactions to promote digital empowerment of these ecosystems.
Providing a platform for brand promotion and market linkages to help them find new opportunities for business growth.
2) Benefits of the scheme to registered artisans
Government Recognition as Traditional Artisan: Recognition as Vishwakarma through certificate and identity card
Skill Development (Training) :
i) 5-7 days (40 hours) basic training after skill verification
ii) Interested candidates can also register for advanced training for 15 days (120 hours).
iii) Training stipend : Rs.500 per day
Financial assistance
i) Collateral Free Business Development Loan : Rs 1 Lakh (1st Installment for 18 Months Repayment) and Rs 2 Lakh (Second Installment for 30 Months Repayment)
ii) Concessional interest rate : Beneficiary will be charged 5% with an interest concessional limit of 8% by MSME.
iii) The credit guarantee fee for this loan will be borne by the Government of India
Digital Transaction Incentive : Rs.1 per transaction for a maximum of 100 transactions (monthly).
Marketing Support : National Committee for Marketing (NCM) will provide services like quality certification, branding and promotion, e-commerce linkage, trade fair promotion, publicity and other marketing.
3) Who will benefit from the scheme?
An artisan who is self-employed in the unorganized sector and engaged in one of the 18 family-based traditional occupations mentioned in the scheme will be eligible for registration under Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma.
Minimum age of the beneficiary should be 18 years on the date of registration.
Beneficiary should be engaged in relevant business on the date of registration and similar credit-based scheme of Central Government or State Government for self-employment / business development, viz. Should not have taken loan under PMEGP, PM Swanidhi, Mudra in last 5 years.
Enrollment and benefits under this scheme will be limited to one family member. (For the benefit of this scheme, family is defined as husband, wife and unmarried children.)
Persons in government service and their family members will not be eligible for this scheme.
4) Qualified Artisan / Business
Wood based
i) Carpenter
ii) Boat manufacturer
Iron/Metal based */ Stone based (Note: (*) Includes manufacture of bronze, brass, copper, dies, pots, idols etc.)
i) Carrying on business of basket / mat / broom maker / kathya
ii) Doll and Toy Maker (Traditional)
iii) Bathing
iv) Mala makers (necklace makers)
v) Parit (Dhobi)
vi) Tailor (Tailor)
vii) Makers of fishing nets
5) How to apply online
The link to apply for benefits under this scheme has been announced.
Applicants cannot apply for the same in person but the applicant has to visit his/her nearest C S C center to apply.
After going there ask the C S C operator there to apply for the benefit under this scheme.
Then those operators will apply for the benefit under this scheme by logging in with their user id and password on the link issued by the government.
After approval by the Committee headed by District Magistrate
The artisan will start getting the benefits of this scheme after the artisan identity card is issued by the government.
6) Following is the list of documents or information to be provided by the beneficiaries.
Aadhaar card for registration of beneficiaries
Mobile number
Bank details, (If the beneficiary does not have a bank account, they will first need to open a bank account which will be facilitated by the C S C.)
Ration card (If the beneficiary does not have a ration card they will need to submit Aadhaar cards of all family members)
Additional Documents or Information: Beneficiaries may be required to provide additional documents or information as per the requirements prescribed by the M S M E Department.
7) Planning / action taken by the Board for successful implementation of the programme
Since 1972 Balutedar Co-operative Societies have been established under the Co-operative Act for the development of such artisans. Their current status is as follows.
i) 311 Balutedar Co-operative Societies have been registered
ii) A total of 7,51,668 members have been registered in all the institutions.
iii) Out of them 2,72,284 Members of Parliament have been given the benefit of loan schemes and 4,77,384 Members are deprived of the benefit.
Out of these 4 lakh members, assuming 30 per cent members are eligible under the scheme, the list of approximately 1.20 lakh beneficiaries is available with the Board.
Two virtual meetings were held with the Chairman of these Balutedar Sansthas and District level officers of the Board. More than 200 chairman and members were present in this meeting. This plan has been discussed in detail with them. The primary focus is to enroll at least 100 skilled artisans from each district from these institutes in the above mentioned talukas.
On 17/09/2023, the scheme will be formally launched by the Prime Minister. It has been ordered to make lists of artisans urgently so that at least 200 artisans will be present in each of the five cities for this event. And planning is being done accordingly.
The District Magistrate of the concerned district has also been informed through a letter.
C S C स्थरावरील नोंदणी हा या योजनेचा गाभा असुन या C S C सेंटर सोबत संपर्क करण्याच्या सुचना जिल्हा तसेच तालुका स्थरावरीत मंडळ अधिकारी यांना दिल्या आहेत.
Registration at C S C level is the core of this scheme and instructions have been given to District and Taluka level Mandal Officers to contact the C S C Centre.
8) Cooperation expected from Govt
At least 2 staff should be sanctioned at district level for this work
Provision should be made for computerization as the format of the scheme is online registration type.