Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the government will see to it that traditional artisans continue in their occupation.
Every possible effort will be made to ensure that their living standard improves and they get employment opportunities with dignity. All artisans in the State will be registered and a campaign will be launched for this. An action plan will be chalked out to ensure that benefits of modern techniques and skill enhancement reach them.
Chouhan was addressing Karigar Panchayat at his official residence here on Thursday. At the panchayat, one in a series of mega meetings with various sections of society, the Chief Minister announced a number of gifts for artisans. Commerce, Industries and Employment Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Gopal Bhargava were present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister said that all artisans would be registered and a campaign would be launched for this. The registered artisans would be given assistance in maternity, marriage and treatment cases. Besides, scholarships and ex gratia assistance in cases of death would also be provided. An action plan would be chalked out to extend benefits of modern techniques and skill upgrades to them. Arrangements would also be made to ensure that artisans get raw material and capital for employment. Shops in village haats would be reserved for them.
Chouhan said that Rs 5,000 subsidy would be given to artisans on initial capital loan and loan of Rs 5,000 would be interest-free. Subsidy of Rs 25,000 would be given on loans of over Rs 10,000 but less than Rs 5 lakh and 5 per cent loan subsidy would be provided for 5 years. Implements would be made available to them under the Mukhyamantri Karigar Swarozgar Yojana. Shops would be provided to them to display and sell their products in craft fairs and exhibitions.
Registered artisans would be provided Rs 5,000 maternity assistance, Rs 15,000 for marriage of daughter, Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 scholarship to students of class I to post graduation levels, prizes worth Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 for talented students, financial assistance up to Rs 3 lakh for treatment, Rs 1 lakh to family on unnatural death, Rs 25,000 in case of natural death and assistance of Rs 75,000 on suffering disability. Children of artisans would be provided incentives of Rs 10,000 on taking admission in medical college and Rs 7,000 on getting admitted to engineering college. First 500 children appearing in class XII merit list would be provided assistance of Rs 25,000 each.
They would be given Rs 25,000 each on clearing prelims of Union Public Service Commission and Rs 50,000 on passing the main exams. Shelter homes would be constructed for artisans coming to cities in search of employment. Knowledge of Agaria blacksmiths would be patented and efforts would be made to help them obtain legal permission for mining of iron ore. Karigar Credit Card scheme would also be considered. Separate panchayats would be held for nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.
Industries Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Khadi and Village Industries Board chairman Satyanarayan Sattan also expressed their views.