New Delhi. The “Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana” started five years ago is proving to be a lifeline for local artisans and artisans associated with the traditional profession, as well as forming a strong foundation for Local for Vocal and self-reliant India. Under this scheme, so far about 2 lakh workers have been trained and their skills have been refined. These enhanced skills can also be reflected in their work, so that the products prepared by them can be competitive in the market in price and quality, for this, 144212 artisans who have been trained will also be provided free advanced tool kits as per their requirement.
5 lakh people will get training in five years
Under this scheme in the next five years, a target has been set to train 5 lakh people to improve their skills and provide them with toolkits. According to the need, these will also be linked to the bank. A provision of Rs 112.50 crore has been made for this in the budget also.
Carpenters, tailors, barbers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, potters, confectioners, cobblers, masons at the center of the scheme
It is noteworthy that in view of the interest of the people associated with the traditional profession, the Uttar Pradesh government had started this scheme in 2017. Carpenters, tailors, basket weavers, barbers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, potters, confectioners, cobblers, masons and handicraftsmen were at the center of this scheme. It is a big class in itself. The people of this class were associated with their traditional profession at the local level for many generations. With the passage of time, they can change themselves. For this change, they should get training and get the necessary capital to increase the work. No government paid attention to this. For the first time after independence, the Yogi government has come up with a new scheme by the name of ‘Vishwakarma Shram Samman’ to honor their labour, enhance their skills and meet their capital-related needs. Under this, their standard of living is upgraded by strengthening the means of livelihood. Under the scheme, a week long training is provided to the identified traditional artisans/handicraftsmen to improve their skills.
After the training, advanced toolkits are provided free of cost to all the trained artisans/handicraftsmen as per their requirement. Loans are also being made available through banks linking them with Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana so that the lack of capital does not become a hindrance to the trained artisans to increase their business or improve it further. According to MSME Additional Chief Secretary Naveen Sehgal, ‘Such an innovative plan was necessary and timely for the betterment of this large section under Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Through this scheme, along with improving the standard of living of the people associated with the government’s traditional profession, their services are also being modernized.