TEZU, 10 Jan: An awareness camp on the PM Vishwakarma scheme was organised on Thursday at the BRCC Hall here in Lohit district to sensitise traditional artisans and craftsmen to government support mechanisms for skill upgradation, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.
The programme was jointly organised by the Itanagar MSME (DFO) assistant director, in collaboration with the Industries Department, the Lohit District Industries Centre (DIC), and NGO Niumbi Foundation.
More than 80 participants, including members of self-help groups (SHGs), and local artisans and craftsmen took part in the camp, reflecting strong grassroots interest in livelihood-oriented schemes.
The programme opened with an address by the industries EO, setting the context of the scheme and its relevance to local traditional occupations. This was followed by an address from Tezu Industries Joint Director Pemchom Lama, who emphasised that the PM Vishwakarma scheme is a major initiative aimed at empowering traditional workers through formal recognition, financial assistance, skill training,and market linkage.
A detailed technical session was conducted by MSME expert Diksha Nanda Bora, who spoke on entrepreneurship development, modern marketing practices, packaging, branding, and online onboarding. He highlighted the importance of adapting traditional skills to contemporary market demands while retaining their cultural value.
Another session was delivered by MSME (DFO) Assistant Director Satish Kumar, who elaborated various MSME schemes, banking facilities, credit support and allied development programmes, encouraging the participants to leverage institutional support for expanding their enterprises.
Representatives from different banking institutions addressed the gathering on financial literacy, digital banking services and credit facilities, while officials from various line departments and the district Common Service Centres (CSC) interacted with the participants, explaining the benefits, eligibility criteria and procedural aspects of the PM Vishwakarma scheme.
To ensure immediate outreach, on-the-spot registration of eligible beneficiaries under the scheme was carried out by CSC officials, enabling participants to directly begin the onboarding process.(DIPRO)
