PM Modi addressed the National PM Vishwakarma Program in Wardha, Maharashtra today. The Prime Minister launched the ‘Acharya Chanakya Skill Development ’ scheme and ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme’. He released certificates and loans to PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries and also released a commemorative stamp dedicated to mark one year of progress under PM Vishwakarma. PM Modi laid the foundation stone of PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park at Amravati, Maharashtra. The Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the exhibition showcased on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister recalled the Vishwakarma Puja celebrations two days ago and said that today the festival of successful completion of one year PM Vishwakarma scheme is taking place here in Wardha. He underlined that today is special as Mahatma Gandhi had started the campaign against untouchability in 1932 on this day. He remarked that the completion of one year PM Vishwakarma today and its celebrations from the land of Wardha, the sadhanasthali of Shri Vinova Bhave and the karma bhoomi of Mahatma Gandhi, makes the occasion a confluence of the achievement and inspiration to bring new energy to the resolve of Viksit Bharat. He stated that through PM Vishwakarma Yojna, the government has resolved to create a better future through skill development and ‘shram to samriddhi’ (hard work to prosperity), and the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi will become a medium to turn it into a reality. The Prime Minister congratulated everyone associated with PM Vishwakarma Yojna on the occasion.
The Prime Minister underlined that the foundation stone of the PM MITRA park was laid today. He highlighted that today’s India was working to take its textile industry to the pinnacle of world’s markets. He added that India’s target was to reestablish the centuries old fame and recognition of India’s textile industries. Shri Modi remarked that PM MITRA park in Amaravati was another big step in this direction. He congratulated the people of Amaravati for this achievement.
The Prime Minister highlighted that Wardha in Maharashtra was chosen for the first year anniversary of PM Vishwakarma Yojana as it was not just another Government program but it was a scheme to make use of the age-old traditional skills as a roadmap to propel India to be a developed country. Pointing out that our age-old traditional skills were the basis of many glorious chapters of India’s prosperity, he said that our art, engineering, science and metallurgy was unmatched in the entire world. “We were the world’s largest textile manufacturer”, highlighted Shri Modi. “There was no match to pottery and the buildings designed back in the day”, added the Prime Minister. Carpenter, blacksmith, goldsmith, potter, sculptor, cobbler, carpenter-mason and many such professionalists used to be the foundation of India’s prosperity and spread this knowledge and science to every home, said Shri Modi. Remarking that the Britishers hatched many conspiracies to wipe out these indigenous skills, Shri Modi said from this very land of Wardha, Gandhiji promoted rural industry. He expressed displeasure over the misfortune of the country that successive governments after independence did not give this skill the respect it deserved. Remarking that the erstwhile governments constantly neglected the Vishwakarma community by forgetting to respect crafts and skills, he pointed out that consequently India started lagging behind in the race of progress and modernity.
Highlighting that the present government resolved to bring new energy to traditional skills after 70 years of independence, the Prime Minister mentioned that ‘Samman, Samarthya, Samridhi’, (“Respect, capability and prosperity) make for the spirit of PM Vishwakarma Yojna”. The Prime Minister said our objective is respect for the traditional crafts, empowerment of artisans and prosperity for Vishwakarmas.
The Prime Minister drew attention to the large-scale and unprecedented collaborations of different departments to make PM Vishwakarma a success and informed that more than 700 districts, 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 5000 urban local units are giving momentum to the scheme. In the last year, Shri Modi added, more than 20 lakh people with 18 different traditional skills have been connected to PM Vishwakarma Yojna. Skill training and upgradation have been provided to more than 8 lakh artisans and craftsmen with the introduction of modern machinery and digital tools. More than 60,000 people have received skill training in Maharashtra alone. Prime Minister Modi informed that more than 6 lakh Vishwakarmas have been provided with modern equipment to help boost productivity and the quality of produce, an e-voucher of Rs 15,000, and loans up to Rs 3 lakh without guarantee to expand their businesses. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that loans worth Rs 1400 crore have been given to Vishwakarmas within a year.
Noting the contributions of the SC, ST and OBC communities towards traditional skills, the Prime Minister lamented the neglect faced by them during the previous governments and said it is the present government that put an end to the system of anti backward mentality. He shed light on the statistics of the previous year and said that the SC, ST and OBC communities are taking the maximum benefit of Vishwakarma Yojana. Expressing his desire for the people of the Vishwakarma community to not only remain mere artisans but become entrepreneurs and business owners, the Prime Minister mentioned providing MSME status to the work done by Vishwakarmas. He spoke about efforts like One District One Product and Ekta Mall where traditional products are being marketed to make Vishwakarmas a part of the supply chain of big companies.
PM Modi touched upon ONDC and GEM which have become a medium for artisans and craftsmen to expand their businesses. He underlined that the societal class which lagged in economic progress will now play a crucial role in the world’s third-largest economy. “Skill India Mission is strengthening it further”, he said. Under the skill development program, Shri Modi informed that crores of youth in the country have received training according to today’s needs. Underlining that India’s skills are being recognized around the world with programs like Skill India, Shri Modi informed with pride that India won multiple awards at a huge event on world skills organized in France earlier this year.
“Textile industry is one with immense industrial possibilities in Maharashtra”, emphasized the Prime Minister. He pointed out that the area of Vidarbha had been a big center for the production of high quality cotton, however the successive governments had pushed the cotton farmers into misery due to petty politics and corruption in the name of farmers.Shri Modi highlighted that the work to solve the problem progressed rapidly when Devendra Fadnavis government was formed in 2014. He added that a textile park was built in Nandgaon Khandeshwar of Amravati, where no industry was ready to invest, however, today it was developing successfully becoming a big industrial center for Maharashtra.
