New Delhi, December 11 (IANS). According to information given to Parliament, banks have sanctioned loans worth Rs 1,751 crore to poor artisans like blacksmiths, masons, potters, carpenters and tailors under the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana till October 31.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that the government has taken steps to address the challenges faced by borrowers (especially in rural areas) and facilitate easy flow of credit to meet their needs. Took different measures.
According to data provided by the Union Minister, more than 2.02 lakh accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana, with the total sanctioned loan amount being Rs 1,751.20 crore.
The government launched the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana on September 17, 2023, to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftsmen working with their hands and tools.
These traditional artisans and craftsmen are called ‘Vishwakarmas’. The financial outlay for the scheme is Rs 13,000 crore from FY 2023-2024 to FY 2027-28.
According to data compiled by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), PM Vishwakarma Yojana has so far received 2.58 crore applications, out of which 23.75 lakh applicants have been successfully registered to avail benefits under the scheme after the three-step verification process. Has gone.
Under the scheme, about 10 lakh people have received toolkit incentives of up to Rs 15,000 through e-vouchers to purchase modern equipment suitable for their business.
The loan given to artisans is subsidized by the government at 5 percent interest rate. The Government of India provides 8 percent interest subvention, which reduces the overall loan cost. The loan can be repaid in 18 months for the first installment and 30 months for the second installment.
PM Vishwakarma Yojana covers artisans and craftsmen from 18 trades who work with their hands and tools.
The objective of this scheme is to help traditional artisans and craftsmen to become entrepreneurs and self-reliant.
Formal training for upgradation and modernization of traditional skills of artisans and craftsmen has been started under PM Vishwakarma Yojana in 26 states/UTs of the country.
–IANS
SKT/KR
