West Bengal MSME Minister Chandranath Sinha on Saturday alleged that the non-inclusion of the handloom sector in the PM Vishwakarma scheme shows the Centre's "step-motherly treatment" of the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the PM Vishwakarma scheme on Sunday. The new scheme aims at supporting artisans and craftspersons across the country.

"The handloom industry provides direct or indirect employment to around 6.5 lakh people in West Bengal. But by not covering the sector in the scheme, the Centre has once again shown its step-motherly treatment of the state," Sinha told PTI over the phone.

The scheme aims to provide skill training, credit support, incentives for digital transaction, toolkit incentives, and marketing support to artisans engaged in 18 identified traditional trades.

"In the 18 traditional trades announced in the first phase of the scheme, handloom remains missing," he said.

The minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) said that the state government has already implemented a number of schemes to support artisans, including the West Bengal Artisans and Craftspersons Development Scheme and the West Bengal Shilp Haat Yojana.

The total outlay for the PM Vishwakarma scheme is Rs 13,000 crores spread out from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

The 18 traditional artisans covered in the first phase of the scheme are carpenters, boat-makers, armourers, blacksmiths, hammer and tool kit makers, locksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, barbers, traditional doll and toy makers, sculptors, stone-breakers, fishing net makers, basket/mat/broom makers/coir weavers, cobblers and footwear artisans, washermen, masons, garland makers and tailors.

An official said that more trades may be covered in the scheme in future.

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