Skip to main content

Skill training? Modi scheme 'ignores' weavers, who are the biggest category of artisans

By Bharat Dogra* 

On September 17, 2023 the Indian government launched its scheme for traditional artisans and crafts persons which had been announced earlier on August 15 Independence Day. This scheme, called PM Vishwakarma Scheme (PM-VS), has a budget of INR 13,000 crore to be spent over the next five years up to 2027-28, or an average annual budget of INR 2,600 crore, largely on collateral-free loans and skills training. The scheme has been placed under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The scheme has been started for helping 18 traditional trades including carpenters, boat makers, armourers, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, locksmiths, potters, sculptors, stone-breakers, cobblers/ shoemakers, masons, basket/mat/broom makers, coir weavers, doll and toy makers, barbers, garland makers, tailors, fishing net makers, hammer and toolkit makers and washermen. This scheme is aimed at benefiting 30 lakh families. The skills component consists of a 5-day workshop with daily stipend and a voucher for buying tools worth INR 5000.
This scheme appears welcome because artisans have been facing a lot of difficulties and so an important scheme for them was overdue. However, it should be clarified, particularly as this is largely a loan-based scheme, that once the loans are all returned, then again these will be used for the welfare of artisans only.
Conceptually also this scheme can be improved much as very different categories have been grouped together. To give an example, washer men and barbers have been grouped along with goldsmiths and blacksmiths. 
One has rarely heard of barbers being described as artisans. The schemes for various service groups would be different from various crafts groups, so it would be better to group them separately. One hopes that proper training which is really beneficial for all these groups can be designed in the near future.
It is surprising that while the biggest category of artisans of weavers (as well related work like spinners) is not included here, less known categories like armourers have been included.
Further it may be asked -- is it really loans that these various groups need to come out of their present-day difficult conditions? The problems of weavers are related to a range of problems from economic exploitation of those in the bottom groups to denial of raw materials to handloom weavers being denied a fair share of the market to khadi units not being run on the true precepts of the khadi movement. 
The problems of potters are related to difficulty in getting the raw material to various restrictions on carrying out their traditional work to getting a fair price for their products. The bamboo based artisans also have similar problems. Even fishing net makers have problems relating to the increasing marginalization of the artisanal, non-mechanized sector in fisheries.
Many artisans have strong traditions of imparting skills of their own. It remains to be seen how the government will organize skill training for these different categories within a short period and how genuinely useful these will be. One hopes that we do not having a situation of what is being done being different from what is really needed.
Suprisingly, washermen and barbers have been grouped along with goldsmiths and blacksmiths
It may be noted here that the progress of some of the already existing skills and training programs, which were relatively easier to implement, has been quite tardy. This can be seen from the progress of some of the schemes under the role of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. 
In the first 10 months of the financial year 2022-23 (to be more precise 10 months and one week, up to February 8, 2023), only 23 per cent of the originally allocated funds of this Ministry ( INR 691 crore out of INR 2999 crore) were actually spent, indicating clearly a very low rate of utilization.
The Standing Parliamentary Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development has drawn attention to what it has called “extremely poor utilization of funds” in its recently submitted report ( 43rd report, 17th Lok Sabha, report on the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship). This report has also provided details for fund utilization in the context of various specific schemes, or rather sub-schemes of the wider Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. 
In the case of Development of Skills, a sum of INR 1643 crore was allocated (Budget Estimate or BE), but actual expenditure during the first 10 months was only INR 121 crore. In other words only 7 per cent of the announced Budget Estimate funds were utilized for so important a task. This is clearly a very low utilization, and very unfortunate considering the importance of this work.
In the case of Development of Entrepreneurship the Budget Estimate was INR 50 crore but only INR 1.9 crore was actually spent, just a token sum as hardly anything can be achieved for less than 2 crore at national level. Thus fund utilization in the first 10 months was less than 4 per cent for such an important task.
For SANKALP scheme of skills and livelihoods INR 300 crore was sanctioned but only INR 100 crore was spent in 10 months. For STRIVE scheme of skills and enhancement of industrial value a sum of INR 300 crore was allocated but only INR 66 crore were spent.
One hopes sincerely that in the case if PM-VS there will be better planning and preparation to ensure better progress of proper loan-utilization (and genuine progress of artisans based on this) as well as skill-development.
---
*Honorary convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include “Man over Machine”, “When the Two Streams Met” and “A Day in 2071”

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.

How national chauvinism 'overtook' sport despite cricketing glory of World Cup 2023

By Harsh Thakor*  The recently-concluded cricket World Cup was a testimony or manifestation of the thrills, intensity, twists and turns in sport and evolution of the game of cricket. It carried on the trend of the World Cups of yesteryears. Possibly, this was the best ever Indian team in a World Cup, and arguably amongst the best ever to contest a World Cup.