600k traditional artisans and craftspeople to be trained by govt under PM Vishwakarma scheme

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New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) Secretary, Atul Kumar Tiwari, recently announced that the Centre has set a target to provide training to 600,000 traditional artisans and craftspeople this fiscal year, under the PM Vishwakarma scheme.

The MSDE is confident about achieving this goal, with over 1.1 million applications already received for the scheme. According to officials, the three-stage process for screening applicants and beneficiaries is currently in progress.

PM Vishwakarma, a central scheme, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 to offer support to artisans and craftspeople.

Tiwari explained, “The government has set a target of training six lakh artisans and craftspeople with an objective to help them improve their earnings and bring them to mainstream growth by way of providing them with expert training in works they are already skilled in, and helping them with toolkits worth Rs 15,000, branding and marketing to scale up their work.”

The MSDE secretary made this known during the launch of the first PM Vishwakarma – Training of Master Trainers and Assessors Programme, a five-day event held at the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NEISBUD) in Noida.

Tiwari emphasised that individuals involved in traditional crafts such as carpentry, masonry, jewellery-making, doll and toy-making, and fishing net-making, among others, can apply for training and benefits under the scheme. The training will be conducted by master trainers in groups of 30 participants.

The PM Vishwakarma scheme offers several benefits, including PM Vishwakarma certificates and ID cards for recognition, skill improvement through skill verification, basic and advanced skill training, entrepreneurial knowledge, toolkit incentives up to Rs 15,000, credit support up to Rs 300,000, and incentives for digital transactions.

The program will also provide marketing and branding support through the National Committee of Marketing (NCM).

National Skill Development Corporation Vice-president Mahendra Singh Payaal stated that the government is optimistic about meeting the target of training six lakh artisans and craftspeople for the ongoing fiscal year, as over 11 lakh applications have already been received.

Payaal said, “There is a three-level screening and verification process for the applicants. The first is at the gram panchayat level, then at the district and then the state level after which the applications of interested and serious candidates would reach the Centre for training.”

Interested applicants can apply for the training through Jan Seva Kendras at the village level or via the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) app or website.