Lok Sabha Question No. 2264 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Pehchan Card Scheme
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Chandra Prakash Joshi, Rajashree Mallick

## PEHCHAN CARD SCHEME

## 2264. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI: SHRIMATI RAJASHREE MALLICK:

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

(a)  the  aims  and  objectives  of  ''Pehchan''  yojana  launched  for  registering  handicraft  artisans  in  the entire country in the year 2016;

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

(c) whether there is any provision to provide financial benefit/assistance to these registered handicrafts artisans under the said scheme;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the number of artisans benefitted so far; and

(e) the details of other steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve the financial position of artisans in the country?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER वस्त्र राज् य मंत्री ( श्रीमती दर्शना जरदोर् ) THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES

## (SMT. DARSHANA JARDOSH)

(a): PEHCHAN scheme was launched in 2016 to provide new identity to handicraft artisans so that the benefits of various schemes are provided to the deserving artisans. Aadhar linked Pehchan Cards are issued after due verification by field functionaries of Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles. Pehchan card holders can avail the benefits of all the handicrafts schemes implemented by Ministry of Textiles.

(b): 31.14 lakhs handicraft artisans across the country have been registered as on 30.06.2023. The state-wise data of handicraft artisans is annexed as Annexure -I.

(c): Registered  artisans  with  Pehchan  card  can  avail  the  benefits  of  the  National  Handicraft Development  Programme  (NHDP)  and  Comprehensive  Handicrafts  Cluster  Development  Scheme (CHCDS) of Ministry of Textiles.

(d) to (e): The  details  of  financial  benefits  /assistance  provided  to  registered  handicraft  artisan under the schemes are as under:

- 1) Skill & Training upgradation, design development workshops, tool kit distributions, marketing platforms, infrastructural support.
- 2) Individual  benefits  to  artisans  like  Mudra  loan,  Interest  Subvention  and  Margin  Money  on Mudra loan.
- 3) Shilp Guru and National Awards to master artisans.
- 4) Monthly pension of Rs. 8,000 to awardee artisans under indigent circumstances.

Total 1.17 lakhs artisans benefitted through various scheme of the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) during the year 2022-23.

## Annexure referred in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No. 2264 date 02.08.2023 regarding ' Pahchan Card Scheme' answered on 02.08.2023.

| S. No   | States            | Artisan Registered (as on 30.06.2023)   |
|---------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1       | A &NIslands       | 3,201                                   |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh    | 64,663                                  |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh | 10,343                                  |
| 4       | Assam             | 1,02,932                                |
| 5       | Bihar             | 1,39,616                                |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh      | 16,019                                  |
| 7       | Delhi             | 21,309                                  |
| 8       | Goa               | 10,041                                  |
| 9       | Gujarat           | 1,37,816                                |
| 10      | Haryana           | 51,395                                  |
| 11      | Himachal Pradesh  | 28,234                                  |
| 12      | J&K               | 1,51,203                                |
| 13      | Jharkhand         | 1,07,940                                |
| 14      | Karnataka         | 42,577                                  |
| 15      | Kerala            | 52,994                                  |
| 16      | Ladakh            | 3,714                                   |
| 17      | Madhya Pradesh    | 97,036                                  |
| 18      | Maharashtra       | 74,423                                  |
| 19      | Manipur           | 71,093                                  |
| 20      | Meghalaya         | 6,192                                   |
| 21      | Mizoram           | 6,006                                   |
| 22      | Nagaland          | 13,723                                  |
| 23      | Odisha            | 1,92,506                                |
| 24      | Pondicherry       | 17,560                                  |
| 25      | Punjab            | 38,729                                  |
| 26      | Rajasthan         | 1,62,651                                |
| 27      | Sikkim            | 3,116                                   |
| 28      | Tamil Nadu        | 67,500                                  |
| 29      | Telangana         | 44,677                                  |
| 30      | Tripura           | 21,038                                  |
| 31      | Uttar Pradesh     | 10,14,283                               |
| 32      | Uttarakhand       | 42,890                                  |
| 33      | West Bengal       | 2,97,048                                |
|         | Total             | 31,14,468                               |

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