Date: 2026-04-21Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises organizes a breakaway session on “Sustainable Livelihood through PM Vishwakarma” on the occasion of 18th Civil Services Day at Vigyan Bhawan
**Executive Summary**
On April 21, 2026, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) hosted a session titled “Sustainable Livelihood through PM Vishwakarma” during the 18th Civil Services Day at Vigyan Bhawan. The session reviewed the progress of the PM Vishwakarma scheme, which has achieved over 30 lakh registrations and aims to empower traditional artisans through a whole-of-government approach. Key focuses include digital transparency, skill development for 18 trades, and the integration of financial and marketing support.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Digital and Operational Framework**
* The scheme operates through a 100% paperless, end-to-end digital mechanism to ensure transparency and ease of access.
* A dedicated digital portal streamlines beneficiary enrollment and lifecycle management.
* The initiative has been conferred the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 for its innovation-driven approach.
**Skill Development and Training**
* The program emphasizes the "Guru-Shishya Parampara" approach across 18 selected traditional trades.
* Over 23 lakh beneficiaries have already completed basic training.
* Advanced training programs are being rolled out to enhance productivity and enterprise capabilities.
**Financial and Marketing Support**
* Artisans receive collateral-free credit and interest subvention to promote financial inclusion.
* Marketing interventions include e-commerce collaborations and participation in major marketing events.
* Products are showcased at railway stations under the "One Station One Product" (OSOP) initiative.
**Logistics and Implementation**
* India Post handles last-mile delivery of toolkits using an innovative e-voucher-based mechanism.
* Over 15 lakh toolkits have been delivered across the country, supported by real-time tracking and a robust logistics framework.
* Implementation involves close coordination between the Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and the Department of Financial Services.
**Impact Analysis**
**Traditional Artisans and Craftspeople**
**Impact**
Artisans transition from informal livelihoods to sustainable enterprises with access to modern tools, credit, and global markets.
**Action Required**
Beneficiaries must register through the digital portal and complete both basic and advanced training modules to maximize scheme benefits.
**Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)**
**Impact**
MSDE is responsible for the massive upskilling of millions of artisans and the maintenance of training infrastructure.
**Action Required**
The Ministry must ensure the availability of accessible training infrastructure and continue the rollout of advanced training programs.
**Department of Financial Services and Banking Partners**
**Impact**
These stakeholders drive large-scale financial inclusion through the provision of credit components.
**Action Required**
Focus on further process simplification, enhancing financial literacy among artisans, and strengthening last-mile banking support.
**India Post**
**Impact**
Acts as the primary logistics partner for the distribution of essential physical toolkits to remote regions.
**Action Required**
Maintain the e-voucher mechanism and logistics framework to ensure timely delivery and real-time tracking of toolkits.
Key Entities Referenced
PM Vishwakarma: A central scheme designed to empower traditional artisans and craftspeople through end-to-end support, including skill training, toolkits, and credit support.
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME): The nodal ministry responsible for the overall implementation and coordination of the PM Vishwakarma scheme.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: A collaborating ministry focused on the skill development, basic training, and upskilling components of the PM Vishwakarma scheme.
Department of Financial Services: The department overseeing the credit component of the scheme, providing collateral-free credit and interest subvention for financial inclusion.
Department of Posts: The department responsible for the last-mile delivery of toolkits to artisans across India using an e-voucher-based mechanism.
Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
organizes a breakaway session on “Sustainable
Livelihood through PM Vishwakarma” on the
occasion of 18th Civil Services Day at Vigyan
Bhawan
PM Vishwakarma Embodies Whole-of-Government Approach
for Effective Implementation: Shri S.C.L. Das, Secretary
MSME
Additional Secretary Dr. Rajneesh Highlights Transformative
Potential of PM Vishwakarma Scheme
Posted On: 21 APR 2026 7:13PM by PIB Delhi
As part of the Civil Services Day celebrations organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms
and Public Grievances under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, a breakaway
session on “Sustainable Livelihood through PM Vishwakarma” was organized by the Ministry of Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises at Vigyan Bhawan.The session brought together senior officials and domain experts to review the progress and impact of the
PM Vishwakarma, which aims to empower traditional artisans and craftspeople across the country.
The session was steered by Dr. Rajneesh, Additional Secretary & Development Commissioner, Ministry of
MSME, who moderated the proceedings. In his opening remarks, he provided a comprehensive overview
of the scheme’s vision, implementation framework, and transformative potential. He highlighted that PM
Vishwakarma operates through a 100% paperless and end-to-end digital mechanism, ensuring
transparency, efficiency, and ease of access for beneficiaries. He also emphasized the scheme’s strong
focus on marketing and digital support interventions, including participation in major marketing events,
dedicated promotional initiatives, collaborations with e-commerce platforms, and product showcasing at
railway stations under the One Station One Product (OSOP) initiative of Indian Railways.The deliberations commenced with an address by Shri S.C.L. Das, Secretary, Ministry of MSME. He
underscored that PM Vishwakarma reflects a whole-of-government approach, with the Ministry of
MSME, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and the Department of Financial
Services working in close coordination to ensure effective implementation. He highlighted key learnings
from the scheme’s data-driven and fully digital framework and noted that it has achieved over 30 lakh
registrations. He also informed that the scheme has been conferred the Prime Minister’s Award for
Excellence in Public Administration 2024, reflecting its innovation-driven and citizen-centric approach.Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, highlighted
progress under the skill development component, noting that over 23 lakh beneficiaries have completed
basic training. She emphasized the rollout of advanced training programmes to enhance productivity and
enterprise capabilities, while stressing the importance of accessible training infrastructure and continuous
upskilling.Shri Manoj Muttathil Ayyappan, Joint Secretary, Department of Financial Services, shared insights on the
credit component of the scheme. He highlighted that collateral-free credit and interest subvention have
enabled large-scale financial inclusion of artisans and emphasized the need for continued process
simplification, enhanced financial literacy, and strengthened last-mile banking support.Ms. Vandita Kaul, Secretary, Department of Posts, elaborated on India Post’s role in ensuring last-mile
delivery of toolkits through an innovative e-voucher-based mechanism. She noted that over 15 lakh
toolkits have been delivered across the country, including remote regions, supported by digital platforms,
real-time tracking, and a robust logistics framework. She also highlighted the potential of leveraging the
scheme’s data analytics approach for other government initiatives.Shri Bharat Khera, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Ministry of MSME, outlined key implementation
learnings, emphasizing the scheme’s Guru-Shishya Parampara approach and the selection of 18 trades. He
noted that the scheme is enabling artisans to transition from informal livelihoods to sustainable enterprises
and is likely to attract youth towards traditional crafts.
Shri Manoj Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Small Industries Development Bank of India,
highlighted the role of technology in enabling seamless implementation. He noted that a dedicated digital
portal has streamlined beneficiary enrolment and lifecycle management, improving efficiency,
transparency, and access to credit.
The session concluded with closing remarks by Shri S.C.L. Das, who appreciated the contributions of all
panelists and stakeholders and thanked participants for their active engagement.
The session was widely appreciated for showcasing an integrated approach to sustainable livelihood
generation. It highlighted how convergence of skill development, financial inclusion, technology, and
market access under PM Vishwakarma is empowering traditional artisans and strengthening grassroots
entrepreneurship across India.
****
Sunil Kumar Tiwari
E-mail hipessi[at]gmail[dot]com
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