Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the ‘PM Vishwakarma Scheme’ virtually on September 17, coinciding with ‘Vishwakarma Day.’ The event will see participation from 70 ministers stationed across 70 different locations throughout the country. The announcement of this scheme was made by PM Modi during his Independence Day address and subsequently received clearance from the Union cabinet.
Distinguished members of the Union Cabinet, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will participate in the program from various locations. Amit Shah will join from Ahmedabad, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to attend from Lucknow. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will be present in Nagpur, Smriti Irani in Jhansi, Bhupender Yadav in Jaipur, and S. Jaishankar will join the program from Thiruvananthapuram. Several other ministers have also been deputed, primarily in their respective home states, to partake in this momentous event.
The ‘PM Vishwakarma Scheme’ encompasses an allocation of Rs 13,000 crore over the next five years dedicated to skill training and the development of traditional artisans and craftsmen. These individuals hail from various communities, including weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, and barbers, with a significant focus on the OBC community.
The overarching objective of the scheme is to enhance the quality, scale, and accessibility of products and services offered by artisans and craftspeople. Furthermore, it aims to integrate them into both domestic and global value chains. This endeavor holds the promise of bolstering the economic well-being of these workers, particularly those from marginalized sections of society, including the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Communities, women, transgender individuals, and other vulnerable segments.
As political discussions revolve around the caste census for achieving social justice and expanding influence among the OBC community, the NDA government’s introduction of this scheme is seen as a strategic move to engage OBCs, particularly EBCs, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
September 17, which coincidentally falls on PM Modi’s birthday, will also mark the commencement of a two-week celebration by the BJP. Activities will include a cleanliness drive, interactions with beneficiaries of government initiatives, and engagements with various segments of society, continuing through October 2.