Why in the News?

During the National PM Vishwakarma Program in Wardha, Maharashtra, the Prime Minister launched the Acharya Chanakya Kaushalya Vikas Scheme and the Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar Women Start-Up Scheme. He laid the foundation for the PM MITRA Park in Amravati and released certificates and loans to beneficiaries, emphasizing the positive impact of the Vishwakarma Yojana on artisans and India's textile industry development.

About the Scheme

• Launched: 17^th September 2023
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.
• It aims to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople across 18 trades.
• Over the past year, over 2 million artisans with 18 traditional skills were connected across 700 districts, 250,000 gram panchayats, and 5,000 urban local units.
• It has equipped over 600,000 Vishwakarmas or traditional artisans with modern tools to enhance productivity and quality, along with e-vouchers of ₹15,000 and loans up to ₹3 lakh without guarantees for business expansion.
• NPCI BHIM Services Ltd. (NBSL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has announced the provision of e-RUPI vouchers through the BHIM App to help artisans benefit from this scheme.
• PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park to be set up in seven places -
  • Tamil Nadu (Virudhunagar)
  • Telangana (Warangal)
  • Gujarat (Navsari)
  • Karnataka (Kalaburagi)
  • Madhya Pradesh (Dhar)
  • Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow)
  • Maharashtra (Amravati)
• Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Center: For free skill development training of youths.
• Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme: For helping women-led startups to become self-reliant.