The chief minister said Tamil Nadu will launch a scheme providing total support to all artisans in the state, irrespective of their caste and family occupation.
Published Nov 27, 2024 | 10:40 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 27, 2024 | 10:41 PM
Launched on 17 September 2023, the central scheme aimed at improving the quality of artisans’ products and services, besides taking their products to domestic and global markets.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has informed the Union Minister for MSME Jitan Ram Manjhi that the state will not implement the Pradhan Manthri Vishwakarma Yojana in its current form.
In a letter to the Union minister, Stalin said the scheme should be more inclusive and align with the state’s principles of social justice.
Launched on 17 September 2023, the central scheme aimed at improving the quality of artisans’ products and services, besides taking their products to domestic and global markets. The central government has allocated ₹13,000 for the scheme.
Tamil Nadu has been apprehensive that the scheme would lead to caste-based employment. The state government constituted a committee to study the scheme.
After conducting a detailed study, the committee recommended some changes. Stalin said the recommendations were conveyed to the prime minister.
The Tamil Nadu government highlighted three points in the Vishwakarma scheme:
1. The mandatory requirement that the applicant’s family should be involved in a traditional family-based business should be removed. Instead, any person who wants to take up any profession listed in the guidelines should be eligible to get assistance under this scheme.
2. The minimum age limit for beneficiaries of this scheme can be increased to 35. Thus, only those who are well-versed in their family business and who can continue it can avail the benefits under this scheme.
3. In rural areas, the responsibility of verifying beneficiaries should be given to the Village Administrative Officer of the Revenue Department instead of the Gram Panchayat President.
In his letter, Stalin said the central government had not considered the recommendations.
Though Tamil Nadu has categorically stated that it would not implement the centrally-sponsored scheme, it has decided to develop a comprehensive scheme that included artisans without caste-based discrimination.
The chief minister further said that Tamil Nadu’s scheme could provide total support to all artisans in the state, irrespective of their caste and family occupation. It would provide financial assistance, training, and everything else needed for their development.
The Vishwakarma Yojana would cover 18 categories of artisans. The scheme intended to provide basic and advanced training to artisans and to provide a daily allowance of ₹500 each to those undergoing training. Later, financial assistance of ₹15,000 would be provided to buy the necessary tools.
‘Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Certificate’ and an identity card, too, would be provided to those joining the scheme.
Additionally, they would be eligible for an interest-free loan of up to ₹1 lakh as the first installment and ₹2 lakh at an interest of five percent would provided as the second installment.
Meanwhile, the central government said the scheme has received 8,39,680 applications from Tamil Nadu, despite the state government’s refusal to implement it.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
