State introduces new scheme to support artisans & industrial co-op societies
Kolkata: The state government led by Mamata Banerjee has come up with a new financial benefit scheme “West Bengal Artisans Financial Benefit Scheme 2024” to provide the artisans of Bengal systematic financial support for procurement of modern tool kits, provisioning of working sheds, and enabling access to digital markets and e-commerce. It seeks to support around 1 lakh artisans and 200 industrial cooperative societies every year with an expected financial outlay of Rs 200 crore.
A notification issued by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) states that the move will create sustainable business opportunities and thus unlock a huge opportunity for their economic development and employment creation. All crafts and trades performed by handicraft artisans across Bengal and age-old traditional trades such as pottery, carpentry, masonry, garland making, shoe making, boat making, fishing, broom making, coir product making, musical instrument making, puppetry, blacksmith, barber etc will come under this scheme.
The financial assistance will include a one-time grant of upto Rs 15000 for an individual artisan for purchase and tool kit repair while for a group of at least 10 artisans forming a cooperative society, the assistance will be Rs 3 lakh and another Rs 7 lakh for workshed and other fixed assets. Digital marketing support at Rs 2000 per annum for individual artisan and Rs 10000 for cooperative society will also be provided.
The other support will include facilitation for enlistment on state portal for artisans, formation of industrial co-operative society and for obtaining statutory requirements. Any handicraft artisan or any group of artisans aged between 18-60 years and engaged in traditional craft/ trade with hand tools/ equipment / small machines will be eligible for the scheme. Screening committees will be formed in panchayat area, municipality area and corporation area for monitoring of the scheme.
The scheme will remain in force for a period of 5 years , if not withdrawn / amended earlier by a Notification in the official gazette.
