Union Cabinet Ministers Ashwini Vaishnav and Anurag Thakur announcing the schemes approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday.
August 16th. 2023. The Union Cabinet has given the commencement to the Rs 13,000 crore PM Vishwakarma scheme, aimed at benefiting around 30 lakh traditional artisans and craftsmen, encompassing various trades such as weaving, goldsmithing, blacksmithing, laundry work, and barbering.
The announcement regarding the scheme was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address. Additionally, the CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the implementation of several key decisions, including the PM-eBus Sewa initiative to enhance urban bus services and the sanctioning of seven multi-tracking projects for Indian Railways, valued at Rs 32,500 crore.
During the Cabinet meeting, Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that craftsmen will benefit from the scheme by receiving a subsidised loan of Rs 1 lakh in the initial phase, followed by an additional Rs 2 lakh in the subsequent phase.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the scheme’s launch is scheduled for September 17, aligning with Vishwakarma Jayanti.
As highlighted in Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day address, the scheme will offer subsidised loans to traditional artisans and craftsmen, including weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, and barbers. Beneficiaries will receive Rs 1 lakh in the initial tranche and an additional Rs 2 lakh in the subsequent tranche, with a concessional interest rate of 5%.
According to recent reports, the Union Cabinet has granted approval for several key initiatives to enhance green mobility and infrastructure development. One of the notable decisions is the endorsement of the PM e-Bus Sewa, which aims to bolster city bus operations through the deployment of 10,000 electric buses in 169 cities under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The ‘Green Urban Mobility Initiative’ associated with the scheme will encompass the enhancement of multimodal interchange facilities and the update of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-based Automated Fare Collection Systems in 181 cities.
The scheme is designed to cover cities with a population exceeding 3 lakhs, with a focus on areas lacking organized bus services. The total estimated cost of this ambitious initiative is Rs 57,613 crore, with the central government contributing Rs 20,000 crore in support.
The Union Cabinet’s approval also encompasses 7 multi-tracking projects by the Ministry of Railways, projected at a cost of Rs 32,500 crores. These projects are set to extend the existing Indian Railways network by 2339 km, enhancing line capacity, streamlining train operations, alleviating congestion, and promoting seamless travel and transportation.
Furthermore, the Cabinet’s endorsement includes the extension of the Digital India project with an allocation of Rs 14,903 crore. This extended program aims to up-skill and re-skill 6.25 lakh IT professionals and provide training to 2.65 lakh individuals in information security.
Notable highlights also include the launch of the AI-enabled multi-language translation tool, ‘Bhashini,’ across 22 Schedule Vlll languages. Additionally, the National Super Computer Mission will witness the incorporation of 9 new supercomputers. The Cabinet’s decisions aim to bolster the digital landscape by expanding the DigiLocker platform to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), enabling these entities to digitally verify their documents with ease.