Lucknow: On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the process of registration and verification of artisans and handicraft workers, under PM Vishwakarma Yojana, on the portal is going on. In this sequence, the Urban Bodies Directorate has written a letter to all the District Magistrates asking them to set targets in each urban body and conduct the first phase of verification as soon as possible.

It is noteworthy that the scheme includes a provision for three-tier verification of the registered beneficiaries. The first-level verification will be carried out by urban bodies. After successful verification, training of all selected Vishwakarmas will begin and an amount of Rs 15,000 will be provided to them in the form of e-voucher for the purchase of toolkits. Additionally, efforts will be made to facilitate loans through banks for them.

Committee formed under DM’s chairmanship to oversee verification process

Director of Urban Bodies Directorate, Nitin Bansal said that there are different systems of verification for rural and urban bodies. In rural areas, the responsibility of verification lies with the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, while in urban areas, the first-level verification is being conducted by Executive Officers (EO).

In this sequence, all the District Magistrates have been requested to hold a meeting with all the Executive Officers and cooperate with them to expedite the first-level verification in all urban bodies. He mentioned that at the district level, the verification process will be conducted by a committee formed under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate. Simultaneously, at the state level, a committee under MSME is verifying the eligibility of beneficiaries.

Verification process to be done at three levels

According to the procedure prescribed for availing benefits under PM Vishwakarma Yojana, the beneficiary must first apply, after which the verification process will take place at three levels, panchayat or ULB, district, and state. The beneficiary will receive a PM Vishwakarma Certificate and ID card. Additionally, the beneficiary’s details will also be sent to the MSDE.

Thereafter, 5-days basic skill training and certificate will be provided. Selected people will also be given 15 days of training in advanced skills and certificates. After this, Rs 15,000 will be provided to the beneficiary as toolkit incentive, or toolkit itself.

Additionally, information about the application for initial finance share of Rs 1 lakh will be shared with the bank. After checking the credit report, the bank will provide the beneficiary with a loan of Rs 1 lakh. Beneficiaries who repay the loan through digital transactions and undergo 15 days of advance training will be eligible to apply for a second loan of Rs 2 lakh.

It is noteworthy that the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 17, 2023, is an ambitious scheme run by the Government of India. Under this scheme, identification has been done for 18 trades. The Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department is the nodal department for the implementation of the scheme, with the cooperation of the Urban Development Department. Targets have been set for all districts for the first year under the scheme. The registration of beneficiaries will be done through Jan Suvidha Kendra.