The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has announced that the PM Vishwakarma scheme has reached a major milestone by registering 30 lakh beneficiaries, three years after its launch. The scheme provides comprehensive support to traditional artisans and craftspeople across 18 trades, covering everything from skill training to credit access and market connections.
What the scheme offers
PM Vishwakarma is structured around three pillars: Samman (respect), Samarthya (capability) and Samriddhi (prosperity). The scheme operates across 18 traditional trades including carpentry, metalwork, tailoring, pottery, masonry, goldsmithing and fishing net making.
Beneficiaries receive multiple forms of support:
- Recognition through a PM Vishwakarma Certificate and ID Card
- Skill training lasting 5-7 days for basic courses and 15 days or more for advanced training, with a daily stipend of ₹500
- Modern toolkits valued up to ₹15,000
- Collateral-free loans up to ₹3 lakh in two tranches: first tranche of ₹1 lakh for 18 months, and second tranche of ₹2 lakh for 30 months, both at a concessional interest rate of 5% with government bearing 8% interest subvention
- Digital incentives of ₹1 per digital transaction, up to 100 transactions monthly
- Marketing support including trade fairs, exhibitions and connections to e-commerce platforms like GeM and Amazon
Registration is limited to one family member aged 18 and above working in the unorganised sector. Applications are submitted through Common Service Centres only. People in government service and their families are not eligible. Those who have fully repaid loans under MUDRA or PM SVANidhi schemes can apply.
As of mid-September 2026, over 24.37 lakh artisans received basic skill training, more than 18.16 lakh received toolkits, and over 6.19 lakh loans worth approximately ₹5,316 crore have been sanctioned. Over 30,000 beneficiaries have been connected to e-commerce platforms, and over 8.11 lakh received digital incentives totalling more than ₹42 crore.
What this means for you
If you are a traditional artisan or craftsperson working independently in one of the 18 covered trades, you can register through a Common Service Centre to access formal credit, skills training and connections to wider markets without needing collateral. An independent evaluation by IIM Mumbai found that 93% of surveyed beneficiaries reported moderate to significant income increases after training, suggesting the scheme can meaningfully improve earnings for eligible workers.