Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma scheme—a novel initiative to incentivize India’s traditional artisans with a budget of approximately $1.8 billion in an effort to preserve the country’s rich heritage and deep-rooted civilization.
The scheme, which will have a budget of around $1.8 billion, is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Amritkal,” a 25-year period aimed at propelling India into the status of a developed nation by 2047, marking the centenary of the country’s independence. The initiative seeks to integrate India’s wealth of heritage products, thus providing a unique identity to a fully developed India.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma scheme, traditional craftsmen will undergo a digital transformation. They will be registered on the PM Vishwakarma portal through biometric verification, receiving an ID card and a PM Vishwakarma certificate, essential tools to facilitate the commercialization of their products.
In order to enhance global competitiveness, artisans will receive both basic and advanced skill training, alongside a toolkit incentive of $2,000,000. They will have access to interest-free credit support of up to $137,000 without the need for collateral. A second credit tranche of $275,000 will be available at a nominal interest rate of 5%. The scheme will also familiarize craftsmen with digital and online transactions while preserving the traditional Guru-shishya parampara for passing down traditional skills.
This holistic approach ensures the integration of Vishwakarma artisans into both domestic and global value chains.
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, introduced following the Prime Minister’s address on Independence Day, will encompass 18 traditional crafts. These crafts encompass a wide range of skills, from crafting baskets, mats, and brooms to weaving coir, making fishing nets, tailoring, laundering, creating garlands, barbering, crafting dolls and toys in traditional styles, working as masons, cobblers specializing in footwear, sculpting in stone, breaking stones, pottery, goldsmithing, locksmithing, crafting hammers and tool kits, blacksmithing, armor-making, boat building, and carpentry.
