MK Stalin unveils Tamil Nadu’s Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam, counters Centre’s Vishwakarma scheme

The Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam, launched in 2024–25 by Tamil Nadu’s MSME Department, aims to revive and modernize artisanal trades, reflecting the Dravidian model of inclusive development and welfare

Subash Chandra Bose

Published Apr 19, 2025 | 7:27 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 19, 2025 | 7:27 PM

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin. (X)

Synopsis: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the “Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam” as a socially inclusive alternative to the Union government’s Vishwakarma Yojana. Unveiled in Kundrathur, the scheme supports artisans without caste-based restrictions. Stalin distributed ₹170 crore in loans to 8,951 beneficiaries and criticized the BJP’s scheme for promoting hereditary occupations and limiting opportunities for youth and marginalized communities

In a sharp rebuttal to the Union government’s Vishwakarma Yojana, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the “Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam” in Kundrathur, Kanchipuram district, presenting it as a socially inclusive and non-discriminatory scheme that upholds the values of the Dravidian model.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Stalin distributed loan sanction orders worth ₹170 crore with a subsidy component of ₹34 crore to 8,951 beneficiaries. He emphasized that the new scheme not only supports traditional artisans but also actively dismantles caste-based barriers entrenched in Union government policies.

A political response rooted in social justice

“The Vishwakarma Yojana reflects a feudal mindset that insists on hereditary occupations,” Stalin said.

“Even today, some have not moved on from the idea that a son must follow his father’s trade. The BJP’s scheme mandates that applicants must come from families traditionally engaged in a trade to be eligible. That is unacceptable in modern India.”

Highlighting the flaws in the Vishwakarma Yojana, Stalin pointed out the minimum eligibility age of 18, calling it inappropriate. “At 18, students should be in college, not forced into caste-based professions. Our government is focused on bringing dropouts back into education, not pushing them out.”

Contrasting this, Stalin said, the Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam permits any individual to take up any of the 25 trades listed under the scheme, a broader scope than the 18 trades listed under the Vishwakarma scheme. “No one should feel they are bound by their family occupation. This scheme is rooted in social justice and equal opportunity,” he asserted.

Also Read: Where does the MK Stalin government stand four years into power?

Centre rejected reforms, says Stalin

The Tamil Nadu government had proposed three key amendments to the Vishwakarma Yojana:

1. Eliminate the clause requiring applicants to belong to families with traditional trade backgrounds.
2. Raise the minimum application age from 18 to 35.
3. Transfer verification responsibilities from village panchayat presidents to trained government officials.

“The Union government rejected all three suggestions. So we officially informed the Union MSME Ministry that we will not implement the Vishwakarma Yojana in its present form,” Stalin announced.

A Dravidian model alternative

Stalin reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu’s policies are based on principles, not just party ideology. He said, The state has always stood for breaking caste barriers, going back to the 1950s movements against hereditary education and professions led by Periyar, Anna, and Kamarajar.

“In 1973, then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi established the Poompuhar Handicrafts Development Corporation to uplift artisans. Now, in 2025, as one among you, I launch the Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam in his name.”

Stalin also commended MSME Minister TM Anbarasan for his role in expanding small and medium enterprises in the state. “He won’t rest until the work is done. If he says he’ll get it done, he will,” Stalin quipped.

He highlighted that Tamil Nadu ranks third in India in terms of the number of MSMEs, with over 33 lakh enterprises registered, accounting for 9.4 percent of India’s total. These businesses form the backbone of the state’s rural economy and help reduce migration to urban centres.

Key announcements at the event

Stalin also unveiled some new announcements in the meeting;

• The one-time subsidy for obtaining intellectual property rights (IPR) will be increased from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh.
• A metallurgical and testing lab will be established in Ambattur at a cost of ₹5 crore for the automobile components sector.
• ₹5 crore will be spent to improve roads and stormwater drainage in Pazhanthandalam, Kanchipuram.
• A technology training and shared equipment facility will be set up in Kaakkalur at a cost of ₹3.9 crore.
• Exhibition participation subsidies for small businesses will be raised from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.

Stalin concluded by extending his congratulations to the beneficiaries, urging them to create more employment opportunities rather than simply sustaining their own livelihoods. “You should grow your businesses to the point where you can employ others,” he said.

Also Read: DMK’s tightrope walk in Tamil Nadu’s Kongu belt

What is the Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam?

The Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam is a landmark welfare and empowerment scheme introduced by the Tamil Nadu government to revive, modernize, and sustain artisanal trades and micro-industrial professions across the state. Announced in the 2024–25 State Budget and launched by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department, the scheme draws its inspiration from the Dravidian model of inclusive governance and is supported by Poompuhar Handicrafts Development Corporation.

Trades covered

The scheme covers 25 diverse artisan trades, significantly broader than the 18 listed under the Union Government’s PM Vishwakarma scheme. These include:

• Traditional crafts like carpentry, pottery, basket-making, leatherwork, doll/toy making, tribal handicrafts, weaving, and embroidery
• Modern or service-based trades like tailoring, hairdressing, laundry services, and laundry
• Heritage trades such as musical instrument making and stucco work
• Cluster-based occupations like fishnet making, boat building, and lock manufacturing

Key financial benefits include: 

• Loans between ₹50,000 and ₹3 lakh from SCBs, RRBs, NBFCs, Cooperative Banks, and TAICO Bank
• 25 percent subsidy on loan amount (up to ₹50,000), released after completion of both skill and entrepreneurship development training
• Collateral-free loans
• Subsidized interest rates: 7 percent from TAICO Bank with 2 percent interest subvention (net effective rate 5 percent)
• For loans from other banks, the state will offer up to 5 percent interest subvention
• Credit guarantee cover up to 90 percent through modifications to the Tamil Nadu Credit Guarantee Scheme (TNCGS)

TAICO Bank has earmarked ₹75 crore for this scheme under the Kalaignar Credit Assistance Scheme. Special arrangements are made for artisans in specific sectors like construction (through Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board) and for ex-servicemen (subsidy through the Public Department).

Training and Modernisation

To ensure that artisans are not only funded but also future-ready, the scheme includes mandatory training in:

• Skill development and upskilling, tailored to each specific trade
• Entrepreneurship development, enabling artisans to establish themselves as formal business entities

Training modules and duration will be devised by the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) and provided post provisional loan sanction.

The scheme also aims to promote branding, marketing, and product innovation, along with the formation of artisan collectives and clusters. Where feasible, Common Facility Centres (CFCs) will be established to serve groups of artisans in cluster-based trades, offering shared tools, technology, and workspace.

Also Read: Madras High Court orders FIR against Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy

Eligibility Criteria

• Minimum age: 35 years
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the chosen trade
• Must not have availed over ₹1.5 lakh in subsidy from TN government schemes in the past 5 years (exceptions apply for those who have repaid loans under NEEDS, UYEGP, AABCS, and CM-ARISE)
• Only one member per family is eligible
• Applicable for new or diversified business activities, not for expanding an already modernized business
• No income ceiling — open to all eligible artisans

 Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam Vs PM Vishwakarma Scheme 

(Edited by Ananya Rao)

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