Pehchan Cards Scheme

PEHCHAN CARDS SCHEME

493. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI
        DR. MANOJ RAJORIA

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंत्री be pleased to state :

(a) the details of the PEHCHAN Cards scheme launched in 2016 to register handicraft artisans across the country along with the objectives and targets of the scheme;

(b) ) the State-wise number of artisans registered so far under the said scheme;

(c) whether there is any provision for providing financial benefits/assistance to these handicraft artisans registered under the said scheme;

(d) ) if so, the details thereof and the number of artisans benefited therefrom so far; and

(e) the details of the steps taken or being taken by the Government to improve the financial conditions of the artisans in the country?

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL) (श्री पीयषू गोयल)

(a) to (e):- A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *493 FOR ANSWER ON 06.04.2022.

(a): PAHCHAN scheme was launched in 2016 to provide new universal identity to handicrafts artisans so that the benefits of various schemes of Government of India are provided to the deserving artisans. Aadhar linked Pahchan Cards are issued after due verification by field functionaries of Textile Ministry. Pahchan card holders avail the benefits of all the schemes implemented by the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts).

(b): 28.92 lakh handicrafts artisans have been registered as on 28.02.2022. The state-wise data of handicrafts artisans is annexed as Annexure -1.

(c) to (e): Yes Sir, the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) is implementing several schemes for the welfare and promotion of handicrafts artisans. Registered artisans under Pahchan can avail the benefits of these schemes (under National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) by participating in different marketing events, skill upgradation, training, design workshops etc. The wage compensation as well as TA/ DA are also provided to the artisans for participation in the events. Under the component of Interest Subvention and Margin Money of Direct Benefit to Artisans scheme of NHDP, interest subsidy @ 6% on the loan amount maximum to Rs.1 lakh over a period of 3 years and margin money @ 20% of the loan amount maximum to Rs.20,000/- per artisan are also provided. In addition, awardee artisans with annual income less than Rs. 1 lakh and with more than 60 years of age are given monthly pension of Rs. 5,000. Total 3.71 lakh artisans benefitted through various scheme of the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) during the period of 2018-19 to 2021-22 (Upto February 2022).

Annexure-I

Annexure referred in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha starred Question No. *493 for answered on 06.04.2022.