CS for giving push to strengthen credit linkage for artisans under PM Vishwakarma scheme

Jammu, Nov 29: Chairing a high-level review meeting of PM Vishwakarma Scheme Saturday, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo directed the concerned departments and banking institutions to give a major strategic push for improving credit uptake under this scheme here.
He stressed that credit linkage is a significant pillar of the programme and must progress in tandem with training, toolkit distribution, and capacity-building components.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce (I&C), Vikramjit Singh; Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan; Managing Director, J&K Bank; Director, L&E; Directors, I&C Jammu/Kashmir, and senior officers of these Departments.
The Chief Secretary called for focused interventions to bridge the growing gap between sanctioned loans and actual disbursements. He directed banks to streamline procedures, minimize delays, and ensure that sanctioned beneficiaries receive funds quickly so that the scheme’s benefits saturate at the grassroots.
The Chief Secretary directed both departments and banks to raise the Union Territory’s disbursement percentage at least to the national average of 70 percent. He emphasized that the renewed push would ensure that artisans, especially those in rural and marginalized communities, receive timely financial assistance to modernize their tools, enhance productivity, and scale up traditional crafts. Reiterating the commitment to saturating all components of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, he set an ambitious target of achieving 30,000 credit linkages by March 2026.
He further instructed that eligible artisans be integrated under the YUVA Mission to enable them to access enhanced handholding support and increased ticket sizes for entrepreneurship development. Reviewing the progress on skill training, toolkit delivery and artisan onboarding, he underscored the need to accelerate credit linkage as a critical enabler for artisans to upgrade tools, adopt modern practices, and scale their traditional trades.
During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary I&C Vikramjit Singh informed that J&K has secured the top rank among all Union Territories in registrations under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, a reflection of strong outreach initiatives across districts.
Sharing the current credit status as of November 28, 2025, he stated that J&K ranks 11th nationally in loan sanctions, with 14,028 cases sanctioned amounting to approximately Rs 129.74 Cr, and 9,128 cases disbursed amounting to Rs 79.66 Cr.
The Director, I&C Jammu, Arun Manhas further highlighted that a sizeable number of beneficiaries remain hesitant to avail loans even after sanction, owing to barriers faced particularly by rural artisans, including concerns over repayment timelines and limited financial literacy. The meeting also deliberated on the ways and means to increase the confidence of applicants and to alleviate beneficiary apprehensions to reap maximum benefits under this scheme.
To overcome these bottlenecks, the Industries & Commerce Department, in collaboration with J&K Bank, has rolled out a targeted intervention plan. This includes district-wise mapping of sanctioned but non-availed beneficiaries with their respective CSCs, organising on-spot loan camps to expedite processing, and conducting intensive awareness and sensitization drives across districts including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Kupwara, Pulwama and Bandipora. These efforts aim to improve beneficiary confidence and ensure timely access to financial support.