Learn all about the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, its features, qualifying requirements, and how it fosters skill development and entrepreneurship in manufacturing and construction sectors.
The Indian government launched the Prime Minister Vishwakarma Skill Honour (PM VIKAS), also known as PM Vishwakarma, with the goal of empowering craftsmen and craftspeople all around the country.
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) launched this programme on September 17, 2023, with the goal of helping craftsmen and craftspeople engaged in 18 specific trades, including potters, carpenters, weavers, and blacksmiths.
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme’s goals
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme consists of a number of main objectives aimed at empowering and supporting Indian craftsmen and craftspeople. The following are a few of the crucial goals:
Enhancement of knowledge and skills: Through the planning of seminars and training sessions, the project promotes the development of skills. This makes it possible for craftsmen to learn new techniques, improve upon their conventional abilities, and create better products. By taking a proactive stance, they may remain relevant in the market and adjust to changing needs.
Improving quality and productivity: By providing artisans with access to contemporary tools and technology, the project aims to improve the calibre and output of their work. This could increase their revenue in addition to making their items more enticing to consumers.
Facilitating financial access: By making collateral-free loans and other financial support mechanisms more accessible, the programme helps craftsmen get over a major obstacle to growing their enterprises. This enables them to make investments in tools, raw materials, and marketing, which promotes continued expansion.
Encouraging digital integration: To improve financial awareness and inclusion among craftsmen, the initiative offers incentives for digital transactions. Furthermore, this promotes the creation of a digital footprint for their companies, increasing their exposure and market reach.
Strengthening market links: By means of branding, e-commerce use, and trade show participation, the project aims to strengthen market ties by putting craftsmen in direct contact with domestic and global markets. This approach increases their earning potential by creating new sales channels.
Protecting traditional crafts: By offering assistance to artists and their abilities, the programme significantly contributes to the preservation and promotion of India’s rich legacy of traditional crafts. This dedication guarantees the passing down of traditional methods to subsequent generations, enabling these customs to persist and flourish.
Promoting community and individual empowerment: The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, in its simplest form, aims to empower craft communities and individual artists by providing them with the tools and resources they need to become self-sufficient and prosperous. Consequently, this enhances India’s overall social and economic progress.
Qualifications for this programme
Those who work as self-employed artisans or do hands-on handicraft in family-oriented traditional unorganised trades are eligible for support under the Vishwakarma Scheme if they are at least eighteen years old. Currently, the programme covers eighteen different skills, including weaving, carpentry, blacksmithing, and ceramics.
It is necessary to have the following documents on hand in order to take use of this program’s benefits.
Voter identity card,
Aadhar card,
proof of occupation,
and mobile number
Details of a bank account
Certificates of Income and Caste (If Applicable)
What are the advantages of this scheme?
The program’s objective is to improve the calibre and availability of goods and services provided by artists and craftspeople. Additionally, it offers toolkits, better market access through digital platforms, trade show participation, skill development training, and assistance with integrating into local and global value chains.
The programme has a strong emphasis on connecting craftsmen with government initiatives, larger companies, and export markets as well as integrating them into the value chain. Because of this, they are able to earn more money and contribute significantly to the economy. The programme will be implemented over a five-year period. The objective of serving 5 lakh families in the first year and 3 million families over the course of the five-year period indicates a methodical and expandable approach to programme implementation.
Through the use of the biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal, common service centres (CSCs) would register all potential beneficiaries at no cost. Essential components of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme for registered craftsmen include skill enhancement and recognition.
The following indicates who benefits from the scheme:
PM Vishwakarma Certificate: This official certification certifies the artisan’s participation in the programme and attests to their competence in the old trade. It could increase attraction to consumers and establish credibility.
PM Vishwakarma ID Card: Acting as a tool for both identification and validation, this card attests to the artisan’s participation and expertise, providing access to a range of advantages and prospects inside the programme.
You can improve your skills by doing the following:
Basic instruction: Lasting five to seven days, this course covers the essential abilities related to the specific profession in order to improve output, effectiveness, and quality.
Advanced training: This 15-day course is intended for people who want to hone their abilities and discover novel approaches. Opportunities for the development of higher-value goods and services may be opened by it.
Training allowance: To cover basic expenditures and encourage active participation, participants get a daily stipend of ₹500 during the training term.
To put it simply, the scheme’s components for skill development and recognition work together to empower the people it serves.
Furthermore, the PM Vishwakarma Scheme offers qualified craftsmen and crafters a number of benefits, such as:
Tool kit incentive: Get electronic coupons up to ₹15,000 to purchase the equipment and tools required for their particular trades.
Financial support: Take advantage of “Enterprise Development Loans,” which are collateral-free and have a maximum amount of ₹3 lakhs. The loans are paid out in two installments of ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakhs, at a 5% concessional interest rate.
Reward yourself with Re 1 for each digital transaction, up to a monthly cap of 100 transactions. This incentive encourages the use of cashless transactions.
Promotional support: The National Committee for Marketing (NCM) can help with branding, promotion, e-commerce connectivity, trade show participation, quality certification, advertising, and publicity, among other things.
How to apply online for the Vishwakarma Scheme
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme’s online application procedure is easy to understand and may be completed in a few quick and easy steps. Among them are:
Official website: Go to the official website for the programme.
Registration: Click on the “Register” button. Provide your mobile number and complete an Aadhaar e-KYC to finish the procedure.
Enrollment form for craftspeople: Click “Apply Online For Artisan Registration Form” after registering.
Form completion: Fill out the application form completely and accurately, making sure to include your name, skill set, Aadhaar number, and any other relevant information.
Documentation: Please upload scanned copies of any required paperwork, including your Aadhaar card, bank account information, talent certificate, etc. (For a complete list of required papers, visit the official website).
Submission of your application: Before submitting, carefully review your application. You will receive an application ID for tracking after submitting.
For the programme, the Indian government plans to develop a dedicated mobile application. With the help of this app, artists and craftspeople will have an easy-to-use platform to sign up, keep track of the status of their applications, view scheme details, and maybe use additional services.