Empowering crafts for progress

Every Vishwakarma Day, artisans across India pay homage to the divine architect of the universe—revered as the patron of craftsmanship, skill, and creation. Workshops, factories, and small home enterprises adorn their tools with flowers, prayers, and gratitude.

This year, the day carries more weight than ritual. The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, launched on Vishwakarma Jayanti in 2023 with a financial outlay of `13,000 crore (for FY 2023–24 to FY 2027–28), has completed two years. In that time, it has become a flagship initiative, attempting to formalize and uplift India’s traditional artisans.

As of August 31, 2025, the scheme had registered around 30 lakh artisans, with over 26 lakh completing skill verification, of which 86% have undergone basic training. Behind these numbers lie life-changing stories of masons, carpenters, barbers, weavers, and potters—once confined to the margins—now stepping forward with recognition, tools, and opportunities.

For centuries, artisans have worked in the shadows of India’s economy—self-employed, under-financed, and rarely part of formal statistics. They built houses, wove mats, stitched clothes, repaired tools, and passed down knowledge through the guru-shishya tradition. Yet they were often dismissed as “informal” or “unskilled.”

The Vishwakarma Scheme confronts this invisibility head-on. By issuing ID cards and certificates, it places artisans on the map—not as relics of the past but as Vishwakarmas, recognised agents of continuity and innovation. Training modules, both basic and advanced, equip them with modern methods without erasing traditional knowledge.

Financial support is equally transformative. With e-vouchers worth `15,000 for toolkits, more than 23 lakh artisans have purchased improved equipment. Collateral-free loans of up to `3 lakh, offered in two tranches, come at a concessional 5% interest rate with up to 8% government subvention. These loans have reduced reliance on local moneylenders who charge punishing rates of 15–20%. Incentives for digital transactions nudge artisans toward the modern economy. The scheme signals that this is not charity. It is entrepreneurship in the making.

As India races toward its $5 trillion economy target, inclusive growth is not optional. While factories, IT hubs, and start-ups dominate policy conversation, artisans continue to form the backbone of rural livelihoods and cultural exports. The Vishwakarma initiative is relevant on three fronts: cultural preservation, by embedding traditional crafts in a modern support structure; economic inclusion, by giving millions identity, access to credit, and formal pathways to entrepreneurship; and global competitiveness, where properly branded Indian handicrafts can command premium prices in global markets hungry for authenticity and sustainability. That masons—or Raajmistris—form the largest registered group under the scheme is telling. It reflects not just continuity of tradition but also the demand of a rapidly urbanising India, where construction and infrastructure are booming.

The numbers are impressive, but stories from the ground illustrate the scheme’s impact. In Uttar Pradesh, carpenter Ajay Prakash secured a `1 lakh loan at 5% interest, modernised his workshop, and now employs others. Escaping predatory lenders has allowed him to dream bigger. In Assam, Rashida Khatoon, a mat maker, expanded her family business after training and credit. The scheme brought not just income but dignity and stability to her household. In Bihar, barber Siyaram Thakur shifted from cycling around villages to owning his own salon after modern training in grooming techniques. His daily income has multiplied, ensuring a better future for his children. These stories reveal that the scheme does not just change balance sheets—it changes status, confidence, and intergenerational prospects.

Yet, celebration must be tempered with realism. Several challenges could undermine the scheme’s promise. As of August 2025, about 4.7–5.0 lakh loans had been sanctioned, with a total disbursement of around `4,100 crore. While this is substantial, repayment discipline and financial literacy remain concerns. Without handholding, debt traps could return in new forms. Empowering millions of artisans is commendable, but without expanded demand, oversupply could depress local incomes. Global and national market linkages need to be more than a slogan. To fetch premium prices, Indian crafts need certification, consistent quality, and effective branding. Without it, they risk being commoditised in low-margin markets.

Implementation, too, is uneven. While national numbers are encouraging, reports from places like Pune district suggest that only around 20% of registered artisans there had completed training by mid-2025, with bottlenecks in bank linkages and trainer availability. Such gaps must be acknowledged and addressed to prevent regional disparities.

The scheme’s design rightly includes women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, the specially abled, and residents of difficult terrains. For these groups, the Vishwakarma programme is not merely economic—it is social justice in action. Women like Rashida are proving that recognition and credit can shift household dynamics. But targeted outreach, mentorship, and women-led cooperatives are necessary to sustain momentum. Linking the scheme to self-help groups and micro-collectives could amplify its
transformative potential.

The world is tilting toward handmade, sustainable, and ethically produced goods. This is where India’s artisans hold a competitive edge. “Handmade in India” can complement “Make in India” if marketed smartly. To achieve this, three steps are urgent: clustering crafts under geographical indications and ensuring global buyers trust their authenticity; digitally integrating artisans beyond just registration to include packaging, logistics, and storytelling; and using trade diplomacy to place artisans at international fairs, G20 showcases, and cultural summits. Imagine Vishwakarmas not just as workers of the past but as representatives of modern India’s creative economy.

The Vishwakarma scheme is undeniably ambitious and has delivered early wins. Yet, there is a risk of it being celebrated as an end in itself rather than as a beginning. The government must avoid the temptation of turning it into a festival of numbers—registrations, e-vouchers, loans disbursed—without grappling with long-term sustainability. Recognition and tools are vital, but artisans ultimately need thriving markets and steady demand. Skill training is important, but so is continuous adaptation as consumer tastes shift. The challenge is to prevent this from being a “pilot that peaked” rather than a structural transformation.

Two years in, the Vishwakarma Scheme has emerged as more than a welfare programme. It is a blueprint for an artisanal renaissance—where heritage fuels progress and tradition powers innovation. By turning artisans into entrepreneurs, it promises to bridge India’s cultural roots with its economic aspirations. But the path ahead demands vigilance.  Financial literacy, quality control, global marketing, and targeted support for women and marginalised groups will determine whether today’s recognition turns  into tomorrow’s renaissance.

On Vishwakarma Day 2025, one truth is undeniable: by honouring the artisans of yesterday and empowering the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, India is building its future—brick by brick, weave by weave, craft by craft.