PM Modi address 1st anniversary of the National PM Vishwakarma Scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the National PM Vishwakarma Program held in Wardha, Maharashtra, on 20 September 2024 to celebrate the first anniversary of the PM  Vishwakarma Scheme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Central Sector Scheme “PM Vishwakarma” on 17 September 2023 in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister also distributed Vishwakarma certificates and loans to the scheme's beneficiaries.

Prime Minister Modi also launched the Maharashtra Government’s Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Scheme and the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme on this occasion. 

Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park at Amravati, Maharashtra.

PM Vishwakarma Scheme 

The PM Vishwakarma scheme is a five-year central sector scheme that aims to support 18 traditional crafts done traditionally by families using hands and tools. 

The central government has allocated Rs.13,000 crore for the scheme from 2023-24 to 2027-28.  

Features of the Scheme

• Traditional artisans, called Vishwakarma, are provided loans and training to upskill their crafts and produce better-quality products for the national and international markets. They are also provided marketing support to sell their products in the domestic and international markets.
• The trained artisans are given a PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.
• They are provided loans at the rate of 5 per cent.
• They are eligible for loans up to Rs one lakh in the first installment and up to Rs two lakh in the second installment.

Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Scheme 

• Prime Minister Modi also launched the Maharashtra Government’s Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Scheme at Wardha.
• The Acharya Chanakya Skill Development scheme focuses on skilling the state's youth between the ages of 15 and 45 to become self-reliant and find better employment opportunities. 
• The state government will set up skill development training centres in prestigious colleges across the state.
• The state government aims to train around 1.5 lakh youth per year free of cost.

Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme

• Prime Minister Modi launched the Maharashtra Government’s Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme at Wardha.
• The Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme of the state government aims to support women-led startups. 
• The women-led startups in the early stage will be provided loans up to Rs 25 lakhs.
• Twenty-five per cent of the funding will be reserved for startups founded by women belonging to economically weaker sections and backward classes. 

PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks 

• The Union Ministry of Textiles has approved the setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in the states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• These integrated textile parks are being set up to make India the hub of the textile sector in the world and enhance the industry's competitiveness through economies of scale.
• These Parks will create a world-class industrial infrastructure that will attract large-scale investment, including foreign direct investment (FDI), and encourage innovation and job creation within the sector.