PM Vishwakarma Scheme Gains Momentum in West Bengal; MSME Ministry Strengthens Artisan Support

The implementation of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in West Bengal received a major push as Dr. Rajneesh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner (MSME), Ministry of MSME, Government of India, met Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Agarwal in Kolkata on Thursday to review and accelerate the rollout of the flagship scheme in the state.

The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, launched by the Ministry of MSME on September 17, 2023, aims to support traditional artisans and craftspeople by providing skill development, financial assistance, modern tools, and better market access. The West Bengal Government has recently issued notifications for the constitution of the State Monitoring Committee and District Implementation Committees to facilitate the effective implementation of the scheme across the state.

During the meeting, discussions focused on speeding up implementation, improving beneficiary identification, strengthening skill training initiatives, and increasing outreach among traditional artisan communities. The officials also reviewed the progress of various MSME schemes and explored strategies to strengthen the MSME ecosystem in West Bengal through better coordination and institutional support.

Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal appreciated the continued support of the Ministry of MSME towards the development of MSMEs in the state and reaffirmed the West Bengal Government’s commitment to ensuring effective implementation of centrally sponsored schemes.

A separate review meeting was also held with Rajesh Pandey, Additional Chief Secretary of the MSME & Textiles Department, along with state officials and bankers. The discussions detailed the modalities for outreach, awareness generation, and implementation of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme at the grassroots level.

Highlighting the significance of the scheme, Dr. Rajneesh said PM Vishwakarma is playing a vital role in preserving India’s traditional skills while empowering artisans through modern technology, financial inclusion, and market opportunities. He noted that West Bengal, known for its rich heritage of handicrafts and traditional artisan communities, holds immense potential for successful implementation of the scheme. At present, around 7.79 lakh artisans and craftspeople from West Bengal have enrolled under PM Vishwakarma.

During his visit, Dr. Rajneesh also interacted with various MSME associations and briefed them about the flagship programmes of the Ministry of MSME aimed at supporting business growth and industrial development. He reviewed the activities of the Technology Centre and Testing Centre in Kolkata to expand technological, tooling, and testing support for MSMEs in the region.

In a significant development, Dr. Rajneesh inaugurated a modern “Transformer Testing Facility” at the MSME Testing Centre, Kolkata, on May 21, 2026. The facility is expected to provide affordable, reliable, and competitive testing services under one roof for a wide range of transformers, including both step-up and step-down transformers.

The new testing facility is expected to benefit MSMEs engaged in transformer manufacturing by reducing dependency on distant laboratories and minimizing testing turnaround time. Officials said the initiative would help improve product quality, standardization, and competitiveness of regional MSMEs in the electrical equipment sector.