The ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme was launched in Chandigarh on Sunday at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh. The scheme was virtually launched at 70 locations across the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti from Yashobhoomi, Sector 25, Dwarka, in New Delhi to spread wider awareness among beneficiaries.
The scheme aims to strengthen and nurture Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills by Vishwakarmas working with their hands and tools. The scheme’s prime focus is at improving the quality as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to ensure that they are integrated with the domestic and global value chains.
Haryana’s Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar was the chief guest for the Chandigarh event, which was also attended and addressed by Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta, Adviser to the UT Administrator Dharam Pal, among others.
Gurjar said that the PM Vishwakarma scheme would not only benefit lakhs of Vishwakarmas, but also bring the talent of these traditional craftsmen into the mainstream of economy. “These craftsmen, who work with their hands, can now avail loans at low interest and work in a dignified manner. Their craftsmanship will not only be pitched at local and national level, but also at global level to give them greater recognition,” he said.
PM Vishwakarma will be fully funded by the Union Government with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore. 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 upgradation involving basic and advanced training, toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000, collateral-free credit support up to Rs one lakh (first tranche) and Rs two lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of five per cent, incentive for digital transactions and marketing support.