Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Launches New Scheme For Artisans As Alternative To Centre’s Vishwakarma Scheme

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Saturday stated that the state ranks third in India in terms of the number of small, micro and medium enterprises. He was speaking at a launching event for the Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam (or Kalaignar Craft Scheme) organised by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department at the Sekkizhar Government Boys' Higher Secondary School premises in Kanchipuram district.

“This scheme will establish social justice, equal justice, human justice and human rights justice, unlike the Centre’s 'Vishvakarma Scheme’ launched in 2023,” Stalin said. “If a person wants to benefit under that scheme, the condition has been that the applicant should do the same profession that his family has been doing for a long time,” he said.

Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu strongly opposed the Vishvakarma Scheme, as it allegedly openly promotes caste discrimination and clannishness. “I was deeply shocked and pained to see that the minimum age for applicants to this scheme was set at 18,” he said.

“A government must bring back students who drop out of school, not expel them from school, and that too to say that they should only pursue the family business,” he stated.

“In our Dravidian model government, we ensure that everyone who completes school education goes to higher education through schemes like Pudumaippen and Tamilputtalvan,” Stalin said. “We, in the ‘Naan Mukulvan’ scheme, provide the necessary skill training to face the future world and think that our children should work in high positions in big, big companies. But what does the BJP think? It thinks that by providing training in the family business, they should not see the outside world.”

“In this scheme, loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh are provided with a subsidy. There is no subsidy in the Viskarma scheme. So far, 24,907 applications have been received,” he said. “Banks have been recommended, and loans worth Rs 170 crore have been approved for 8,951 beneficiaries. The Kalaignar Craft Scheme has been created to empower all types of artisans in Tamil Nadu. It has been created without excluding anyone and without social discrimination. We have created this scheme on the basis that interested artisans can do their desired profession.”

On the occasion, he handed over loan approval orders of Rs 170 crore along with a subsidy of Rs 34 crore to 8,951 beneficiaries. Stalin also inaugurated the Peravoorani Rope Group, established at a project cost of Rs. 7.29 crore in Peravoorani, Thanjavur district; the Jewellery Manufacturing Group, established at a project cost of Rs. 6.72 crore in Vasantha Nagar, Ramanathapuram district; and the Women's Embroidery Group, established at a project cost of Rs. 1.15 crore in Alankulam Nagar, Tenkasi district.

5 new announcements

The Tamil CM made five announcements at the event.

• The subsidy provided for obtaining a 'Geographical Indication', an intellectual property right, will be increased from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh.
• Metrology and metallurgy laboratories required for the automotive and engineering spare parts manufacturing industries operating in the Ambattur Industrial Estate will be set up for Rs. 5 crore.
• Infrastructure facilities will be improved for Rs. 5 crore for road construction and storm water drainage in Kanchipuram and Palathandalam, where there are a large number of industrial establishments.
• A training centre for technical skill development and a general facility centre with machinery and equipment will be established at the Kakkalur Manufacturers Industrial Estate for Rs. 3.90 crore.
• The financial assistance for booth fees provided to micro and small enterprises to participate in domestic trade fairs and events will be increased from one lakh rupees to two lakh rupees.

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