The Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs which converges five erstwhile schemes viz. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’, ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Nai Roshni’ and ‘USTTAD’ & ‘Hamari Dharohar’ schemes and focuses on upliftment of six notified minority communities through the following:
- Skilling and Training (Non-traditional and traditional)
- Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- Education (through National Institute of Open Schooling)
- Infrastructure Development (through Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram)
The scheme also provisions to facilitate credit linkages by connecting beneficiaries with loan programs offered by the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) is a knowledge partner of the Ministry under the PM VIKAS scheme to extend support to artisans trained under traditional training components of the scheme in terms of (i) providing marketing linkages; (ii) development of related Course Module content for training; (iii) provide brand positioning & visual merchandizing to the artisan products; (iv) organise awareness program during Ministry’s events/exhibition; (v) mobilise artisans for formation of producer group companies; etc
