Itanagar : Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday asserted that developed nations’ outlook towards India has changed significantly under the leadership of Minister Narendra Modi who is considered as a great leader globally while addressing a function on the occasion of the launch of the PM Vishwakarma scheme, which envisages providing support to traditional artisans and craftspeople here on DK Convention Hall, Itanagar.

Talking about the PM Vishwakarma scheme launched by Modi, Rijiju said that the cabinet committee on economic affairs has recently allotted Rs 13,000 crore for the scheme, which would be available for traditional artisans and craftspeople for five financial years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

Rijiju said that artisans can register themselves on the PM Vishwakarma portal using biometrics.

“They will get recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, their skills will be upgraded through basic and advanced training, they will get toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000, collateral-free credit support up to Rs 1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs 2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent, besides incentives for digital transactions and marketing support,” he said.

“The importance of traditional artisans in Arunachal Pradesh has reduced with the passage of time and now they can upgrade their skills through the scheme,” Rijiju said, while calling upon the youth of the state to take advantage of the scheme for self-employment.

Urging youth not to look down upon any work, he said the dignity of labour must be upheld at any cost.The Minister further said the focus of development in the state will be on income generation.

“Arunachal Pradesh will be at the top in the country in terms of per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP). If we can tap even 30 percent of our hydropower resources, we will become a financially self-sufficient state within the next few years,” Rijiju added.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, state Labour Minister, Tumke Bagra mentioned that there are 9,600 enlisted artisans in the state, besides 9,200 weavers, who would get immense benefits from the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme.

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