Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra along with Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) virtually attended the launch of PM Vishwakarma scheme at Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra, Leh on September 17.
 
PM Vishwakarma Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi for traditional artisans and craftspeople on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti at the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC), in Dwarka, New Delhi. 

PM Vishwakarma Scheme is a new programme that envisages providing end-to-end holistic support to traditional artisans and craftspeople in scaling up their conventional products and services. 

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra said that the idea behind the scheme is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s desire to make the lives of the people better. It is because of this reason that the scheme is being launched on the PM’s birthday, he said. 

The minister said that ever since he has been in power, PM Modi has made a positive change in the lives of people, whether it was in the capacity of the Chief Minister of Gujarat or the Prime Minister of India. Mishra said that the unorganized sector has been a source of employment since ancient times and it is unfortunate that not much has been done in the past for the upliftment of the traditional arts and artisans of the country. 

Giving a brief outline of the workings of the scheme, Mishra said that the government will help artisans and craftsmen with the certification, promotion, and marketing of their products. He said that this will help arts and crafts that have reached the verge of extinction to survive and flourish in the present competitive times. He added that artisans will also be eligible for a stipend so that people can maintain their traditions and keep their traditional crafts alive. 
  
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) conveyed his best wishes on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti and remarked that it is dedicated to the traditional artisans and craftspeople. He said that India has touched new heights under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and said that it is unfortunate that artisans who have been working for generations are finding it difficult to survive in the present times. He added that the implementation of the scheme is a timely and much-needed initiative of the government and expressed hope that it will benefit the arts and crafts that are on the verge of extinction. 

Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said that the scheme will benefit the local artisans of Ladakh to boost their business. 

PM Vishwakarma will be fully funded by the Union Government with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crores. Under the scheme, the Vishwakarma will be registered free of charge through Common Services Centres using the 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 ₹15,000, collateral-free credit support up to ₹1 lakh (first tranche) and ₹2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5%, incentive for digital transactions and marketing support. 
  
The Scheme aims to strengthen and nurture the Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills by Vishwakarma working with their hands and tools. The prime focus of PM Vishwakarma is to improve 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. 

The scheme will provide support to artisans and craftspeople in rural and urban areas across India. Eighteen traditional crafts will be covered under PM Vishwakarma. These include (i) Carpenter; (ii) Boat Maker; (iii) Armourer; (iv) Blacksmith ; (v) Hammer and Tool Kit Maker; (vi) Locksmith; (vii) Goldsmith; (viii) Potter; (ix) Sculptor, Stone breaker; (x) Cobbler (Shoesmith/ Footwear artisan); (xi) Mason (Rajmistri); (xii) Basket/Mat/Broom Maker/Coir Weaver; (xiii) Doll & Toy Maker (Traditional); (xiv) Barber; (xv) Garland maker; (xvi) Washerman; (xvii) Tailor; and (xviii) Fishing Net Maker.