The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India will be organizing ‘PM Vishwakarma and National SC-ST Hub Mega Conclave’ tomorrow on 17^th September, 2025, at the International Convention Center, Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The event is in commemoration of the second anniversary of PM Vishwakarma Scheme.

Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister of MSME, Government of India will preside over the event and Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for MSME, Government of India will grace the occasion as Guest of Honour. Shri Nitish Mishra, Minister, Department of Industries; Dr. Prem Kumar, Minister of Cooperation; Shri Santosh Kumar Suman, Minister of Minor Water Resources and Shri Janak Ram, Minister of SC & ST Welfare Department from the Government of Bihar will also grace the mega conclave. 

Several senior officials of the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, including Office of DCMSME, KVIC, NSIC and Government of Bihar will be present on the occasion. More than 2000 beneficiaries of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, NSSH and PMEGP will participate. 100 stalls for exhibition and display/sale of products of Artisans and Craftspeople will be organized for two days. Apart from this, there will be technical sessions on Marketing, Branding, Packaging etc., to provide handholding support to the participants.

 

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the PM Vishwakarma Scheme on September 17, 2023 to provide end-to-end support to traditional artisans and craftspeople in 18 trades with the aim of transforming them to successful entrepreneurs. The Scheme provides benefits to artisans and craftspeople with Recognition, Skill Upgradation, Toolkit Incentive, Credit Support, Incentive for Digital Transaction and Marketing Support.

 

Within a span of two years, 30 lakh beneficiaries have been registered under the PM Vishwakarma scheme after three stage verification, which is a 100% registration target for the Scheme. More than 22.70 Lakh Vishwakarmas have been provided basic skill training through NSDC by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
 

Also, 5 Lakh Vishwakarmas have been provided a loan support of upto Rs. 1 lakh at a subsidized interest rate of 5% amounting to Rs. 4,166 Crore. Further, India Post has delivered 8 Lakh toolkits at their doorsteps.

In Bihar a total of 1.62 Lakh beneficiaries have successfully completed the three stages verification, 1.05 Lakh have been imparted basic skill training, 18,769 received concessional loans amounting to Rs 161.3 Crore and 29,000 Vishwakarmas have received modern toolkits at their doorsteps through India Post.

 

Further, for inclusive growth, the ‘National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Scheme’ was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in October 2016 with the objective of augmenting the capacity of SC-ST entrepreneurs and to empower them to participate in public procurement process and to fulfill the mandated target of 4% public procurement from SC-ST MSEs. Several initiatives have been undertaken to boost entrepreneurship amongstSC/STs in skilling/capacity building, market linkages, finance facilitation, tender bid participation, etc. More than 1.5 lakh SC/ST benefitted under the scheme. Due to this scheme, there has been a 36 times increase in public procurement from SC/ST MSEs.

 

The Mega Conclave will feature distribution of loan certificates and toolkits to PM Vishwakarmas, distribution of sewing machines to beneficiaries of the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY) and loan disbursements to PMEGP beneficiaries. The conclave will also feature the exchange of PM Vishwakarma marketing MoUs, which will serve as a platform to provide enhanced market opportunities for artisans and craftspeople.

 

The mega conclave will provide an interactive platform for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to expand their horizons. A significant number of beneficiaries under PM Vishwakarma, PMEGP and NSSH from Bodh Gaya and other Districts of Bihar and adjoining States are expected to participate in the event.

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Kumar Saurabh

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