GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INSTITUTE AMBIKAPUR

A significant section of the workforce of the Indian economy consists of artisans and craftspeople who work with their hands and tools, are usually self-employed and are generally considered to be a part of the informal or unorganised sector of the economy. These traditional artisans and craftspeople are referred to as ‘Vishwakarmas’ and are engaged in occupations like Blacksmiths, Goldsmiths, Potters, Carpenters, Sculptors, etc. These skills or occupations are passed from generation-to-generation following a guru-shishya model of traditional training, both within the families and other informal groups of artisans and craftspeople.

In the above backdrop, a new scheme, called ‘PM Vishwakarma’, aims at improving the quality as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to ensure that the Vishwakarmas are integrated into the domestic and global value chains. It is the goal of this Scheme to offer holistic end-to-end support to the Vishwakarmas, i.e. the artisans and craftspeople, to enable them to move up the value chain in their respective trades. It will bring a qualitative shift in the way these occupations are practised by artisans andcraftspeople and this will uplift their socio-economic status aswell as their quality of life.