Union Budget 2023: Skilling, Tech, Credit for Training of Vishwakarma Community | All About PM VIKAS

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while announcing the Budget 2023 on Wednesday, introduced a unique initiative called ‘Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman, or PM VIKAS, to empower skilled people engaged in different traditional professions.

Under this scheme, they will get support in the form of skilling, technology, credit and more. Hailing it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later said: “Vishwakarmas are those toiling through their hands for the country. They are the creators of India. For the first time, a scheme related to training of ‘Vishwakarmas’ has been introduced in the budget. Preparations have been made for their training, providing technology, credit and market for their products. This scheme will bring a huge change in the lives of crores of Vishwakarmas.”

In her speech, too, Sitharaman said the package was specially designed keeping in mind traditional artisans and craftspeople. “PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman – package of assistance for traditional artisans and craftspeople – has been conceptualised and will enable them to improve quality, scale and reach of their products integrating with MSME value chain,” she said.

The initiative has been undertaken by the ministry of minority affairs (MoMA) and focuses on skilling, entrepreneurship and leadership training requirements of the minority and artisan communities across India.

In his speech on World Youth Skills Day in 2021, the prime minister had said: “Worship of Vishwakarma means honouring all Vishwakarmas in our society, who engage with different types of creative work… woodworkers, metal workers, scavengers, gardeners who beautify the garden, potters who create pottery, weavers who weave cloth by hand, whom our tradition has given special respect.”

According to estimates, it will benefit a large number of people in the country. There are 60 castes recognised by the government as members of the Vishwakarma community.

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