Lok Sabha Question No. 4201 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: USTTAD and Hamari Dharohar Component under PM-VIKAS
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi, Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil, Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh, Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4201

ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## USTTAD AND HAMARI DHAROHAR COMPONENT UNDER PM-VIKAS

## 4201.   DR. BACHAAV SHOBHA DINESH:

SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE:

ADV. GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the number of traditional artisans and craftspersons from trained under the USTTAD and Hamari Dharohar components of PM-VIKAS across the country particularly Maharashtra, including Solapur, Nandurbar, Bhandara, Sangli and Dhule districts, State and district-wise;
- (b) whether artists engaged in traditional art forms facing financial instability, mounting debt, irregular  payments,  declining  patronage,  safety  concerns  and  instances  of  censorship  have been covered under these components and if so, the details of support extended;
- (c) whether the market linkages, design development, branding assistance and social security support  have  been  provided  to  enhance  sustainable  incomes  and  if  so,  the  details  and  the outcomes thereof;
- (d)  whether any audit has been conducted regarding fund  utilisation, beneficiary reach and craft or performance cluster support in these districts and if so, the details thereof; and (e) the details of corrective measures with timelines and accountability mechanisms proposed to strengthen artisan livelihoods and preserve traditional cultural practices effectively?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  to  (c):  The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  implements  Pradhan  Mantri  Virasat  Ka Samvardhan  (PM  VIKAS)  Scheme  as  a  Central  Sector  scheme  which  converges  five erstwhile  schemes  viz.  'Seekho  Aur  Kamao',  'Nai  Manzil',  'Nai  Roshni'  'USTTAD'  and 'Hamari Dharohar'; and focuses on socio-economic empowerment of six notified minorities through skill development; entrepreneurship and leadership development of minority women; and  education  support  for  school  dropouts.  The  schemes  were  implemented  across  the country, including the state of Maharashtra, a State/UT breakup of beneficiaries trained and placed  in  the  'USTTAD  and  Hamari  Dharohar'  components  prior  to  their  integration  into PM-VIKAS Scheme is placed at Annexure I.

The PM VIKAS scheme comprises the following components:

- i. Skilling and Training Component (including traditional and non-traditional skills).
- ii. Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship Component.
- iii. Education Component for school dropouts through open schooling.
- iv. Infrastructure  Development  Component  through  convergence  with  other  schemes such as PMJVK.

Under  the  Traditional  Training  sub-component  of  PM-VIKAS,  training  and  capacitybuilding programmes are conducted for artisans engaged in traditional arts and crafts across the country through empanelled Project Implementing Agencies. These programmes aim to enhance  artisans'  skills,  improve  livelihood  opportunities  and  preserve  traditional  cultural heritage including intangible cultural heritage (ICH). No allocation under this sub-component has been made so far in the State of Maharashtra under the PM VIKAS Scheme.

The scheme also provides support through:

- i. skill up-gradation training in traditional arts and crafts;
- ii. customized workshops on design development, packaging, quality control, financial literacy and e-commerce;
- iii. facilitation of market linkages and participation in exhibitions and fairs; and
- iv. access to credit and financial support through institutions such as National Minorities Development  and  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC)  or  other  banking  /  non-banking institutions.

Further,  under  the PM VIKAS scheme, Ministry has been organising 'Lok Samvardhan Parv', bringing together minority artisans from across India and assist them to scale up their operations and businesses. So far, the Ministry has organised 05 Lok Samvardhan Parvs, in Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala.

(d)  &  (e):  To  strengthen  artisan  livelihoods  and  preserve  traditional  cultural  practices,  the scheme promotes:

- i. training and capacity-building programmes for traditional artisans,
- ii. preservation and promotion of traditional arts, crafts and intangible cultural heritage,
- iii. organization of exhibitions, fairs and marketing events to enhance visibility of artisan products, and
- iv. promotion  of  self-employment  and  entrepreneurship  through  formation  of  self-help groups and artisan producer organizations.

Since the PM VIKAS scheme converging five erstwhile schemes has been rolled out only in  January  2025  and  projects  are  in  initial  stages  of  implementation,  no  audit  has  been conducted till date.

*****

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4201 regarding USTTAD and Hamari Dharohar Component under PM-VIKAS asked by  Dr.  Bachhav  Shobha  Dinesh:  Shri  Vishaldada  Prakashbapu  Patil:  Ms.  Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi:

| State/ UT                                | USTTAD   | USTTAD   |
|------------------------------------------|----------|----------|
|                                          | Trained  | Placed   |
| Andaman &Nicobar Islands                 | -        | -        |
| Andhra Pradesh                           | 360      | 63       |
| Arunachal Pradesh                        | -        | -        |
| Assam                                    | 1,702    | -        |
| Bihar                                    | 544      | 2        |
| Chandigarh                               | -        | -        |
| Chhattisgarh                             | 89       | -        |
| Delhi                                    | 6        | -        |
| Goa                                      | -        | -        |
| Gujarat                                  | 90       | 69       |
| Haryana                                  | 180      | 66       |
| Himachal Pradesh                         | 295      | -        |
| Jammu and Kashmir                        | 2,129    | 786      |
| Jharkhand                                | 541      | 1        |
| Karnataka                                | 45       | -        |
| Kerala                                   | -        | -        |
| Ladakh                                   | -        | -        |
| Madhya Pradesh                           | 2,006    | 533      |
| Maharashtra                              | 621      | 90       |
| Manipur                                  | 745      | -        |
| Meghalaya                                | 90       | 73       |
| Mizoram                                  | 300      | -        |
| Nagaland                                 | -        | -        |
| Odisha                                   | -        | -        |
| Puducherry                               | -        | -        |
| Punjab                                   | 579      | -        |
| Rajasthan                                | 867      | 90       |
| Sikkim                                   | -        | -        |
| Tamil Nadu                               | -        | -        |
| Telangana                                | 180      | 69       |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | -        | -        |
| Tripura                                  | -        | -        |
| Uttar Pradesh                            | 9,166    | 2,845    |
| Uttarakhand                              | -        | -        |
| West Bengal                              | 1,076    | 259      |
| Total                                    | 21,611   | 4,946    |