The government’s PM Vishwakarma Scheme has completed three years, and it has now registered 30 lakh traditional artisans and craftspeople across India. The scheme is designed for people working in traditional occupations and provides support ranging from skill training and modern toolkits to affordable credit and marketing assistance.
Who can benefit from PM Vishwakarma?
The scheme is meant for artisans and craftspeople aged 18 years or above who work independently with their hands and tools in one of 18 specified traditional trades.
These include carpenters, masons, tailors, barbers, potters, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, cobblers, locksmiths, basket and mat makers, garland makers, washermen, fishing-net makers and others.
The applicant must generally be working in the unorganised sector on a self-employment basis. Only one member of a family can receive benefits under the scheme.
What benefits are available?
One of the major benefits is skill training. Basic training lasts 5–7 days, while advanced training can continue for 15 days or more. Trainees receive a stipend of ₹500 per day during training.
Eligible beneficiaries can also receive a modern toolkit incentive of up to ₹15,000 to help them upgrade the tools used in their profession.
Loan facility at 5% interest
PM Vishwakarma also provides collateral-free enterprise development loans of up to ₹3 lakh in two stages.
The first loan tranche can be up to ₹1 lakh, while the second tranche can go up to ₹2 lakh. The loans are offered at a concessional interest rate of 5% per annum, subject to the scheme's eligibility and repayment conditions.
The second tranche is linked to repayment of the first loan and fulfilment of specified conditions such as adopting digital transactions or completing advanced training.
Extra incentive for digital payments
The scheme also encourages artisans to adopt digital payments. Eligible beneficiaries can receive ₹1 for each eligible digital transaction, subject to a maximum of 100 transactions per month.
This can help small artisans gradually move towards formal digital business practices while receiving an incentive for using them.
Marketing support is also available
The scheme does not stop at training and loans. Beneficiaries can receive marketing assistance through trade fairs, exhibitions, branding and e-commerce platforms.
The government has also been connecting beneficiaries with platforms such as GeM and other e-commerce channels so that traditional artisans can access customers beyond their local markets.
How to register?
Applications for PM Vishwakarma are submitted through Common Service Centres (CSCs). The application goes through a three-stage verification process involving the local Gram Panchayat or Urban Local Body, the District Implementation Committee and the Screening Committee.
Once approved, beneficiaries receive a PM Vishwakarma Certificate and ID Card, providing formal recognition under the scheme.
Latest update
As of September 2026, the scheme has crossed its target of registering 30 lakh beneficiaries. More than 24 lakh artisans have received basic skill training, while over 18 lakh have received modern toolkits. More than 6.19 lakh loans worth around ₹5,316 crore have also been sanctioned under the scheme.
For traditional artisans looking to improve their skills, purchase better equipment, access affordable credit or reach wider markets, PM Vishwakarma provides multiple forms of assistance under a single government scheme.
