Commissioner Secretary, Skill Development Department, Saurabh Bhagat, today chaired a meeting to review implementation of PM Vishwakarma Yojana in J&K. He had a detailed assessment of progress on implementation of this ambitious government initiative in the UT.
He emphasized on providing enhanced skilling access to traditional artisans and craftspeople, including carpenters, blacksmiths, laundry workers and barbers being covered under the scheme. The artists shall be provided recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, skill upgradation involving basic and advanced training, toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000, collateral-free credit support up to Rs 1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs 2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent besides incentive for digital transactions and marketing support, he added.
Saurabh Bhagat stressed upon greater coordination among all stakeholder departments and assured full support from Skill Development Department in skilling of identified Vishwakarmas.During the meeting Industries and Commerce Department shared updated list of applicants registered online on PM Vishwakarma portal among the stakeholders which is being updated on daily basis.
The department further briefed that around 68476 applications of interested applicants have been received on PM Vishwakarma portal, so far. The meeting was informed that around 2334 candidates have been cleared in level 3 verification under 5 trades including Tailor (Darzi), Carpenter (Suthar), Masons (Mistri) , Barbers (Naai) and Basket Maker. The districts viz Jammu, Anantnag, Kulgam, Udhampur, Pulwama and Shopian have maximum level 3 verified registrations.
The meeting was also informed that account details of 53 Government ITIs have been shared with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) by Department of Skill Development (DSD). The NSDC is in process of dispatching tool kits to these ITIs.
Besides, 22 Government Polytechnics have also been roped in for skilling under the scheme for trades which are not covered in the ITIs. It was told that handholding workshop shall also be organized for registration of Training Institutions on PM Vishwakarma Portal. The trainers are being identified for mandatory Training of Trainer (ToT) Certification program.
Under the guidance of Director, Skill Development Department and MD JKSDM, a core group of Skill Development Department has been constituted comprising Narayan Dutt, Additional Secretary SDD, Ravi Gupta, Assistant Director DSD, Syed Tabasum Geelani HoD/OSD JKSDM, Khalid Sheikh, OSD JKSDM and Kahkeshan Anjum SEO NSDC J&K which shall work in coordination to get the scheme implemented on ground.
The meeting was attended by Mission Director, J&K Skill Development Mission, Director, Additional Secretary, Skill Development Department, Additional Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Regional Director, RDSDE, Joint Director, RDSDE, Project Head, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, NSDC New Delhi, State Engagement Officer, NSDC and consultant, MSDE, Government of India.