Quick answer: PM Vishwakarma is a central scheme for self-employed artisans in 18 traditional trades, including tailoring, pottery, basket and mat making, garland making and doll making. You get a certificate and ID card, paid training at ₹500 a day, a ₹15,000 toolkit grant, and collateral-free loans of ₹1 lakh and then ₹2 lakh at 5% interest. As of October 2026 the scheme has already reached its target of 30 lakh registrations, so check with your Common Service Centre whether new registrations are open in your area before you go.
Who it is for
PM Vishwakarma is meant for people who work with their hands and tools in a family-based traditional trade, on a self-employed basis, in the unorganised sector. It is not a general business loan, and it is not for factory owners or salaried workers.
You are eligible if:
- you are at least 18 years old on the date of registration;
- you are working in one of the 18 listed trades on the date of registration;
- you have not taken a loan in the past five years under a similar central or state credit scheme for self-employment, such as PMEGP, PM SVANidhi or Mudra.
You are not eligible if:
- you, or anyone in your family, is in government service;
- another member of your family has already registered. Only one person per family can register, and “family” means husband, wife and unmarried children;
- you have ever taken a PMEGP loan, or you have a Mudra or SVANidhi loan still outstanding. If you have fully repaid a Mudra or SVANidhi loan, you can apply.
A point many women miss: because only one family member can register, if your husband registers for his trade, you cannot register for yours. Decide as a household who will benefit most before anyone goes to the CSC.
The 18 eligible trades
| Group | Trades |
|---|---|
| Wood | Carpenter (Suthar), Boat maker |
| Iron, metal and stone | Armourer, Blacksmith (Lohar), Hammer and tool kit maker, Locksmith, Sculptor, stone carver or stone breaker |
| Gold and clay | Goldsmith (Sunar), Potter (Kumhaar) |
| Leather and construction | Cobbler, shoesmith or footwear artisan, Mason (Raajmistri) |
| Craft and daily services | Basket, mat or broom maker and coir weaver, Traditional doll and toy maker, Barber (Naai), Garland maker (Malakaar), Washerman (Dhobi), Tailor (Darzi), Fishing net maker |
The official list notes that some metal trades also include making bronze, brass and copper items such as diyas, utensils and figurines.
For women, the most common fits are tailoring, basket, mat and broom making, coir weaving, garland making, pottery, and traditional doll and toy making. If your work does not clearly match one of these names, ask the CSC operator how it would be classified before you submit.
What you get
All figures as of October 2026, from the official scheme portal.
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Recognition | PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card |
| Skill verification and basic training | 5 to 7 days (40 hours) |
| Advanced training (optional) | 15 days (120 hours) |
| Training stipend | ₹500 per day of training |
| Toolkit | ₹15,000 grant, given after skill verification at the start of basic training |
| First loan | Up to ₹1 lakh, collateral-free, repaid over 18 months |
| Second loan | Up to ₹2 lakh, collateral-free, repaid over 30 months |
| Interest | 5% to you; the government pays the bank up to 8% as interest subvention |
| Guarantee fee | Paid by the government, not you |
| Digital incentive | ₹1 per eligible digital transaction, up to 100 transactions a month |
| Marketing support | Quality certification, branding, e-commerce linkage, trade fairs and publicity |
The second loan is not automatic. You qualify for it only if you keep the first loan account regular and have either started taking digital payments in your business or completed advanced training.
No prepayment penalty is charged if you repay early, once six months have passed after disbursement.
Documents you need
- Aadhaar card
- Mobile number
- Bank account details
- Ration card. If you do not have one, you must produce the Aadhaar cards of all your family members.
If you do not have a bank account, the CSC is supposed to help you open one first. You may be asked for more documents later.
Step-by-step: how to register
- Check your eligibility honestly, especially the one-per-family rule and any past PMEGP, Mudra or SVANidhi loans.
- Visit your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) with the documents above. CSC operators register artisans on the PM Vishwakarma portal.
- The CSC enters your details and your trade from your documents.
- Verification. Your application is checked at the local level (gram panchayat in villages, urban local body in towns) and then at district level.
- Certificate and ID. Once approved, you are recognised as a Vishwakarma with a certificate and ID card.
- Skill verification and basic training. You attend the 5 to 7 day course and receive the ₹500 daily stipend. The ₹15,000 toolkit grant follows skill verification.
- Apply for the first loan of up to ₹1 lakh through the portal. Scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, small finance banks, cooperative banks, NBFCs and microfinance institutions can lend under the scheme.
- Go digital and keep repaying so you can move to the ₹2 lakh second loan.
For help at any stage, you can approach the CSC, the MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), your District Industries Centre, or write to pm-vishwakarma@dcmsme.gov.in.
Registration status in 2026
The official portal reports, as of October 2026:
- 30 lakh artisans registered, which was the scheme’s target “till 2028”. The portal says the target was reached in September 2025.
- About 24.4 lakh have completed basic training.
- About 18.8 lakh have received the toolkit.
- About 6.3 lakh loans sanctioned, worth roughly ₹5,429 crore.
- About 8.1 lakh people have received the digital transaction incentive.
We could not find an official notice saying whether new registrations are still being accepted after the target was reached. Ask your CSC or District Industries Centre before you travel or pay for anything. The portal’s figures show training, toolkits and loans still moving for artisans who are already registered.
Common mistakes and reasons for rejection
- Two family members applying. Only one member of a family can be registered.
- An old PMEGP loan, or an unpaid Mudra or SVANidhi loan.
- A trade that is not on the list, or running the activity as an employer rather than as a self-employed artisan.
- Missing ration card without Aadhaar of all family members.
- Paying an agent. Nobody outside the official process can “guarantee” approval; ask the CSC for any charge in writing.
- Skipping training. The toolkit grant is linked to skill verification and basic training.
Tips for women artisans
- Training is close to home and paid. If you have never had formal training, the ₹500 daily stipend partly makes up for lost work days.
- Use the toolkit grant on equipment that raises output, such as a better sewing machine or potter’s wheel, and keep the bill.
- Start accepting UPI payments early. It earns a small monthly incentive and is one of the routes to the ₹2 lakh loan.
- Once your PM Vishwakarma loan is repaid, you can apply for PMEGP if you want to set up a bigger unit.
FAQ
Q: Is PM Vishwakarma only for men in traditional trades?
A: No. Any eligible artisan in the 18 trades can register, and several trades, such as tailoring, basket making and garland making, have many women workers.
Q: Do I need collateral?
A: No. Both loans are collateral-free, and the government pays the guarantee fee.
Q: Is the ₹15,000 toolkit paid in cash?
A: The portal describes it as a toolkit incentive or grant given after skill verification. How it is delivered can vary, so ask at your training centre.
Q: I have a running Mudra loan. Can I register?
A: Not until it is fully repaid.
Q: Can I register online from my phone?
A: Registration is done through Common Service Centres. The portal has a separate applicant login for registered beneficiaries.
Q: My husband is already registered as a carpenter. Can I register as a tailor?
A: No. Only one member of a family (husband, wife and unmarried children) can register.
Official links
- PM Vishwakarma portal: https://pmvishwakarma.gov.in/
- PM Vishwakarma FAQ: https://pmvishwakarma.gov.in/Home/FAQ
- Ministry of MSME: https://msme.gov.in/
- Udyam Registration: https://udyamregistration.gov.in/
Last checked: October 2026. Rules, limits and fees change; confirm with the official source before you apply. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Sources: PM Vishwakarma official portal, scheme benefits and key indicators (October 2026); PM Vishwakarma official FAQ (October 2026); PM Vishwakarma official homepage, eligible trades (October 2026).
