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PM Vishwakarma Yojana Empowering Artisans
About the Scheme
- Launched by the Prime Minister of India on September 17, 2023.
- Uplifts traditional artisans and craftspeople in various trades.
- Preserves cultural heritage and integrates artisans into the formal economy.
- Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Government of India.
- Implemented by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
- Offers a stipend of Rs 500 for skill training per day and Rs 15,000 grant for tools.
Trades Covered
- Carpenter, Boat Maker, Blacksmith, Goldsmith, Potter, Sculptor, Cobbler, Mason, Weaver, Doll Maker, Tailor, etc. (18 in total)
Benefits of the Scheme
- Recognition: ID card and certificate after registration.
- Skill Upgradation:
- Basic training (5-7 days) with stipend of Rs. 500/day.
- Advanced training (15+ days) with NSQF certification.
- Toolkit Incentive: Up to Rs. 15,000 through e-RUPI/e-vouchers.
- Credit Support: Collateral-free loan up to Rs. 3 lakhs at 5% interest.
- Digital Transaction Incentive: Cashback for digital transactions.
- Marketing Support: To promote products and services domestically and internationally.
Registration
- Through Common Service Centres on the PM Vishwakarma portal.
- Three-stage verification process.
Eligibility
- Artisans/craftspeople aged 18 or older in one of the 18 trades.
- Not availed loans under similar schemes.
- One member per family can register.
- Not employed by the government.
Conclusion
The scheme aims to empower artisans and craftspeople by providing end-to-end support and enabling them to compete in the market.
Developing Talent in Healthcare
Shortage of Healthcare Workers
- India faces a shortage of skilled healthcare workers.
- Only 0.65 doctors and 1.3 nurses per 1,000 people.
- Needs 15.4 lakh additional doctors and 24 lakh nurses.
Government Initiatives
- National Health Policy: Strengthen medical education and develop mid-level providers.
- NITI Aayog: Generate 15 lakh jobs in public health by 2022-29.
- Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): Bridge skill gap.
- Functional arms: DGT, NCVET, NSDC, SSCs
- Training Institutes: NSTIs, ITIs
- National Skill Development Fund (NSDF)
- Target: Create 14 lakh trained healthcare personnel by 2025.
- Partnership with IGNOU for wider reach.
Boosting Talent
- Pradhan Mantri YUVA (PM-YUVA) Yojana: Promote entrepreneurship in healthcare.
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): Skill rural youth for healthcare jobs.
The Way Forward
- Develop skills in early childhood care and education (rural women).
- Promote food production and marketing skills (adolescents, women).
- Train rural masses in physiotherapy, yoga, and sports nutrition.
- Train in resource conservation (food, water) and waste minimization.
- Collaborate with NGOs, private sector, and village administration for health education.
Conclusion
- Address skill gap and develop talent in healthcare, especially in rural areas.
- Empower rural population through training and entrepreneurship.
Encouraging Micro-Entrepreneurship
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
- Classification
- Micro: Investment <= Rs. 1 crore, Turnover <= Rs. 5 crore
- Small: Investment <= Rs. 10 crore, Turnover <= Rs. 50 crore
- Medium: Investment <= Rs. 50 crore, Turnover <= Rs. 250 crore
Scope of Micro-Entrepreneurship
- Caters to local market
- Typically < 10 employees
- Creates jobs, reduces production costs, boosts purchasing power
Benefits
- Flexibility
- Adapt to changing conditions quickly
- Make decisions without bureaucracy
- Low Barriers to Entry
- Require minimal initial capital
- Allows individuals with limited resources to participate
- Job Creation
- Promotes local economic growth
- Reduces unemployment
- Innovation
- More agile and innovative than larger companies
- Adapt to changing market demands quickly
- Local Economic Growth
- Creates jobs
- Provides goods and services
- Self-reliance
- Empowers entrepreneurs
- Fosters independence
- Diverse Offerings
- Targets specific markets
- Provides specialized goods and services
- Economic Resilience
- More adaptable during economic downturns
Top Schemes for Promoting Micro-Entrepreneurship
- ASPIRE (Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship)
- Creates network of technology and incubation centers
- Encourages innovation in agribusiness sector
- Provides financial support for building incubators
- Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
- Supports microenterprise growth through MUDRA (NBFC)
- Offers refinancing assistance for loans up to Rs. 10 lakhs
- Loan categories (Tarun, Kishore, Shishu) based on stage and size of business
- Support for International Patent Protection in Electronics and Information Technology (SIP-EIT)
- Provides government support for MSME and startups filing foreign patent applications
- Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)
- Strengthens loan delivery system for MSME sector
- Provides discounted loans without collateral
- Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS)
- Supports MSE procurement by government
- Registers qualified MSEs for government purchases without Earnest Money Deposit (EMD)
- Government sets minimum purchase thresholds from MSEs
- Extra Mural Research or Core Research Grant (CRG)
- Assists research institutions in conducting research across science and engineering fields
- Design Clinic Scheme
- Encourages small firms to experiment with new designs
- Provides training and skill development in design
- Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Scheme
- Improves quality and reduces defects in MSME products
- Offers handholding programs for adopting new production techniques and technologies
Conclusion
- Government initiatives actively encourage micro-entrepreneurship through Startup India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and Make in India programs.
- Supporting micro-entrepreneurship accelerates economic growth.
Integrating Technology into Rural Education
Indian Education System
- Large system with over 14.89 lakh schools, 95 lakh teachers, and 26.52 crore students.
- 70% students and 83% schools are in rural areas.
- High Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) but dropout rate remains a challenge (12.6% at secondary level).
Challenges
- Rural-urban divide in access to technology and digital literacy.
Vision of NEP 2020
- Bridge rural-urban gap through access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability.
- Foster unique capabilities and holistic development of each student.
- Emphasize technology for improved teaching-learning methods.
Government Initiatives
- Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme-Dhruv
- Identifies and supports talented rural students.
- Samagra Shiksha
- Supports activities like youth clubs and eco clubs to develop student skills.
- Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB)
- Promotes national integration through cultural exchange.
- Navodaya Vidyalayas
- Provides quality education to talented rural children.
- National Talent Search Scheme (NTSE)
- Offers scholarships and support programs for talented students.
Technological Interventions
- Enhancing ICT under Samagra Shiksha
- Provides high-quality e-content for teachers and students.
- UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus)
- Provides real-time data for informed decision-making.
- Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0
- Evaluates school performance and identifies areas for improvement.
- National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR)
- Creates a national digital infrastructure for education.
- Vidya Samiksha Kendra
- Uses data and technology to improve learning outcomes.
Capacity Building of Teachers
- National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA)
- Trained and certified over 24 lakh teachers across India.
Conclusion
- Technology integration is changing education, but the digital divide remains a challenge.
- Teachers are now facilitators of learning, not just knowledge providers.
- An inclusive digital ecosystem is needed for equitable education and lifelong learning.
Importance of Rural Entrepreneurship
- Crucial for economic growth and development
- Over 63 million MSMEs in India, 94% are micro-enterprises
Types
-
- Proprietorial ownership
- Group entrepreneurship (SHGs, Cooperatives, Producer companies)
Benefits
- Resource Utilization
- Utilizes local raw materials and labor
- Employment Generation
- Creates jobs in rural areas
- Reduces Migration
- Provides opportunities in rural areas
- Promotes Artistic Activities
- Protects and promotes traditional handicrafts and art
- Reduces Social Issues
- Combats poverty, slums, pollution in cities
- Empowers Rural Youth
- Exposes them to entrepreneurship as a career option
- Stimulates Economic Development
- Reduces urban migration and social issues in cities
Challenges
- Societal and gender bias
- Lack of business and entrepreneurial skills
- Limited access to essential skills
- Inconsistent market linkages
- Competition from urban markets
- Poor infrastructure and logistics
- Limited knowledge of government support
- Lack of capital, technology, and product diversification
Roadmap to Recovery
- Skill and entrepreneurship development programs
- Project mode: Training based on skills, location, and demographics
- Cluster development: Provides forward and backward linkages
- Incubation: Training and support for promising entrepreneurs
Role of Government
- Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP)
- Supports new and existing businesses in rural areas
- Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs)
- Provides skill and entrepreneurship training to rural youth
Conclusion
- Rural entrepreneurship is essential for India’s economic growth.
- Government initiatives and skill development programs are crucial for success.
- Supporting aspiring rural entrepreneurs leads to a viable business model for sustainable development.