Tamil Nadu announces new scheme in Karunanidhi’s name to counter Modi’s PM Vishwakarma scheme

The Tamil Nadu government has announced the Kalaignar handicrafts scheme to support artisans and craftsmen in the state. The scheme is a counter to Centre’s Prime Minister Vishwakarma scheme, which the state government believes is casteist and discriminatory in nature.

Announcing the scheme, Tamil Nadu MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan said the Kalaignar handicrafts scheme (Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam) is a comprehensive scheme to empower artisans and craftsmen. "The scheme has been formulated to benefit all sections of people who are engaged in 25 trades/crafts," the minister said in a statement. According to the Tamil Nadu government, its scheme is not based on family-based traditional trades and it promotes support, skill and entrepreneur development for the expansion of existing trades and launch of new initiatives.

As per the scheme, the artisans will get credit support of Rs 3 lakh, including a subsidy of 25 per cent (a maximum of Rs 50,000). The scheme also provides five per cent interest subsidy to beneficiaries. A beneficiary should be at least 35 years of age to apply for the scheme and the government plans to provide support to at least 10,000 persons a year.

In November, Chief Minister M.K Stalin wrote to the Centre and said the PM Vishwakarma scheme would not implemented in its present form in Tamil Nadu. “The Tamil Nadu government will not implement the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in its current form, as it fails to align with the principles of social justice. Instead, we will introduce a more inclusive scheme to empower all artisans, irrespective of caste or family occupation, ensuring holistic and equitable support,” Stalin had said. “We cannot support schemes that perpetuate hereditary caste-based occupations under any guise,” he added.

The Centre launched the PM Vishwakarma Yojana in 2023  to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftsmen who work with their hands and tools in 18 trades. The scheme offers advanced training with a stipend, collateral-free enterprise development loans of upto Rs 3 lakh at lower interest and various other benefits.