PM’s address at the dedication of Yashobhoomi to the Nation & launch of PM Vishwakarma Scheme
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 17 Sep, 2023

Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! Bharat Mata ki – Jai! All my colleagues in the Union Cabinet, dear brothers and sisters who have gathered here in this magnificent building from all corners of the country, my fellow citizens who have joined this program from over 70 cities, other distinguished guests, and my family members! Today is the celebration of Lord Vishwakarma’s Jayanti. This day is dedicated to our traditional craftsmen and artisans. I extend my heartfelt greetings to all the people of the country on Vishwakarma Jayanti. I am pleased that on this day, I have the opportunity to connect with lakhs of Vishwakarma friends from across the country. Just a while ago, I also had a conversation with many of my Vishwakarma brothers and sisters. The reason for my delay in arriving here is that I got engrossed in talking with them, and the exhibition below is so splendid that I didn’t feel like leaving. My earnest request to all of you is to make sure to visit it. I have been told that it will continue for another 2-3 days, so I especially urge the residents of Delhi to ensure that they visit it. Friends, With the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma, today marks the beginning of the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana. The PM Vishwakarma Yojana is coming as a new ray of hope for the millions of families who work skilfully with their hands, tools, and follow traditional practices. My family members, Along with this scheme, today the country has also got the International Exhibition Centre – Yashobhoomi. The work that has been done here reflects the dedication and hard work of my labourer brothers and sisters, my Vishwakarma companions. Today, I dedicate Yashobhoomi to every worker in the country, every Vishwakarma companion. A significant number of our Vishwakarma companions are also going to be beneficiaries of Yashobhoomi. To the thousands of Vishwakarma companions who have joined us through video in this event today, I want to especially convey this message. What you create in villages, the art you practice, the craft you engage in, this vibrant centre is going to become a powerful medium to showcase it to the world. It will showcase your art, your skills, and your artistry to the world. It will play a significant role in making India’s local products global. My family members, In our scriptures, it is said, ‘यो विश्वं जगतं करोत्येसे स विश्वकर्मा’ which means the one who creates the entire world or is involved in construction work related to it is called ‘Vishwakarma.’ For thousands of years, those companions who have been the foundation of India’s prosperity are our Vishwakarmas. Just as our spine plays a crucial role in our body, similarly, these Vishwakarma companions have a very significant role to play in our societal life. Our Vishwakarma companions are associated with such work and skills, without which everyday life is unimaginable. You see, in our agricultural system, is it possible to do farming without a blacksmith? It is not. Those who make shoes in the villages, those who cut hair and those who tailor clothes, their importance can never diminish. Even in the era of refrigerators, people still prefer to drink water from clay pots and earthen pitchers. No matter how much the world advances, how technology reaches everywhere, their role and significance will always remain. Therefore, the need of the hour is that these Vishwakarma companions should be recognized and supported in every possible way. Friends, Our government has come forward today as a partner to enhance the dignity, capacity, and prosperity of our Vishwakarma brothers and sisters. In this scheme, the focus is on 18 different types of work carried out by Vishwakarma companions. There would hardly be any village where there are no individuals engaged in these 18 different types of work. Among them are carpenters working with wood, craftsmen making wooden toys, blacksmiths working with iron, goldsmiths crafting jewellery, potters working with clay, sculptors, shoemakers, tailors, hairdressers, laundry workers, cloth weavers, garland makers, fishing net makers, boat builders, and various others. The government will be spending 13,000 crore rupees under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana. My family members, About 30-35 years ago, I once visited Brussels in Europe. During my stay there, my hosts took me to a jewellery exhibition there. Out of curiosity, I asked them about the market for such items there and what it was like. To my surprise, they told me that machine-made jewellery has less demand, and people prefer to buy handmade jewellery even if it’s more expensive. The demand for your finely crafted work is increasing in the world. Nowadays, we see that even big companies outsource their production to smaller companies. This is a massive industry worldwide. We are moving in the direction so that the outsourcing work comes to our Vishwakarma companions and you become a part of the supply chain. We want you to be so efficient so that major international companies knock at your doors to tap into your expertise. Therefore, this scheme is an effort to bring our Vishwakarma companions into the modern age and to enhance their capabilities. Friends, During these changing times, training, technology, and tools are essential for our Vishwakarma brothers and sisters. The government is putting great emphasis on providing training to all of you through the Vishwakarma Yojana. Even during the training, you will receive a daily allowance of 500 rupees from the government, because you are hardworking individuals who earn your livelihood every day. You will also receive a 15,000 rupee toolkit voucher for modern tools. The government will provide assistance in every way possible for what you create, from branding and packaging to marketing. In return, the government expects that you purchase the toolkit from a GST-registered store. Illegal practices won’t be tolerated. Furthermore, I strongly urge that these tools should be ‘Made in India.’ My family members, The government has also made the provision that you do not face any problem about the initial capital if you want to expand your business. Under this scheme, Vishwakarma companions can get loans of up to 3 lakh rupees without the need for collateral. When banks don’t ask you for collateral, Modi guarantees your loan. It has also been ensured that the interest rate on this loan is very low. The government has made a provision that if you have completed your training and have purchased new tools for the first time, you will be eligible for a loan of up to 1 lakh rupees for the first time. And once you repay that loan and prove that work is progressing, you will be eligible for a loan of up to 2 lakh rupees. My family members, Today, there is a government in our country that prioritizes the marginalized. It is our government that is promoting the special products of every district through the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme. It is our government that has provided assistance to street vendors and opened the doors of banks for them under the PM SVANidhi scheme. It is our government that took care of the Banjara and Nomadic tribes for the first time after independence. It is our government that developed special facilities for Divyangjan individuals at every level and place for the first time after independence. For those whom nobody cares about, this son of a poor man, Modi, has come as their ‘sevak’. This is Modi’s guarantee to provide a life of dignity to everyone and ensure facilities to all. My family members, When technology and tradition come together, it creates wonders, and the entire world witnessed this at the G20 Craft Bazaar. The foreign guests who participated in the G20 were also presented with items crafted by our Vishwakarma companions as gifts. The commitment to ‘local for vocal’ is the responsibility of all of us, the entire country. Why do you get uncomfortable when I talk about it? When I do it, you applaud, but when you have to do it, you hesitate. Tell me, should the products made by our artisans, our people, reach the global market or not? Should these products be sold in the world’s markets or not? To achieve this, we need to first make local vocal and then globalize the local. Friends, Now, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dhanteras, Diwali, and many other festivals are coming. I would urge all fellow citizens to buy local products. And when I talk about buying local, some people think it’s just about buying Diwali lamps and nothing else. Buy every small and big thing that carries the mark of our skilled workers, the scent of India’s soil, and the essence of sweat. My family members, Today’s India, as it continues to develop, is making its mark in every field. We recently witnessed how India captured the world’s attention with the Bharat Mandapam. This international exhibition centre – Yashobhoomi – continues this tradition with grandeur. Yashobhoomi’s clear message is that anything which happens on this land will achieve glory. It will become a magnificent centre to showcase India of the future. Friends, For India to successfully harness its economic potential and become a major commercial power, a centre like this is essential in the capital city. It offers both multi-modal connectivity and showcases the PM GatiShakti. Additionally, it is located near the airport and is seamlessly connected to it through the metro system. The metro station, inaugurated today, is directly integrated into this complex. This metro facility will significantly reduce travel time for people coming from different parts of Delhi, making it easily accessible. For the visitors, this complex has been designed to provide accommodation, entertainment, shopping, and tourism facilities, all within this ecosystem. My family members, With the changing times, new sectors of development and employment emerge. It was unimaginable 50-60 years ago to think of the massive IT industry that exists today. Similarly, 30-35 years ago, social media was just a concept. Now, another significant sector is emerging with limitless potential for India and this sector is Conference Tourism. The global conference tourism industry is worth over 25 lakh crore rupees. Every year, more than 32,000 large exhibitions and expos take place worldwide. Just imagine, even countries with populations as low as 2-5 crore people host these events and prosper. India, with its population of 140 crore, can certainly reap substantial benefits. Whosoever comes here will benefit immensely. It is a huge market. Conference tourists typically spend much more money compared to regular tourists. Despite the enormous market, India’s current participation in this industry is only at one percent. Many large Indian companies are forced to host their events abroad every year. Can you imagine that such a huge market is in front of us both domestically and globally? The new India is preparing itself for Conference Tourism. And friends, you all know that Adventure Tourism will happen only where there are resources for adventure. Medical tourism will happen only where there are modern medical facilities. Spiritual tourism will happen only where there are historical, religious and spiritual activities. Heritage tourism will also take place only where history and heritage are prevalent. Similarly, Conference Tourism will also happen only where there are necessary resources for events, meetings and exhibitions. Therefore, Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi are such centres which are now going to make Delhi the biggest hub of Conference Tourism. There is a possibility of employment to lakhs of youth from Yashobhoomi Centre alone. Yashobhoomi will become a place in the future where people from all over the world will queue up for international conferences, meetings, exhibitions etc. Today I especially invite people associated with the Exhibition and Event Industry from countries around the world to India, to Delhi, to Yashobhoomi. I will invite the Film Industry and TV Industry of every region of the country, East-West-North-South. You organize your award ceremonies, film festivals here and organize the first show of your films here. I also invite people associated with International Event Companies and the exhibition sector to join Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi. My family members, I am confident, whether it is Bharat Mandapam or Yashobhoomi, these will become symbols of India’s hospitality, India’s superiority and India’s grandeur. Both Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi are a confluence of Indian culture and modern facilities. Today both these grand establishments are singing the story of new India in front of the country and the world. These also reflect the aspirations of the new India, which wants the best facilities for itself. Friends, write down my words, India is not going to pause now. We have to keep moving forward, keep making new goals and rest only after achieving those new goals. And this is the culmination of the hard work and effort of all of us and we have to walk forward with the resolve that we will make the country before the world as a developed India in 2047. This is the time for all of us to unite. Our Vishwakarma companions are the pride of ‘Make in India’ and this International Convention Centre will become a medium to showcase this pride to the world. Once again, I congratulate all Vishwakarma companions for this forwarding looking initiative. May this new centre, Yashobhoomi, become a symbol of India’s fame and further enhance the pride of Delhi. With this good wish, many best wishes to all of you. Thank you very much. Namaskar!