Politics
An artisan weaves traditional khadi cloth on a handloom. Photo credit RAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India's 77 Independence Day, PM Modi announced that a new scheme will be launched next month for artisans, who mostly hail from the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
"On the upcoming Vishwakarma Jayanti, we will launch a new scheme with a budgetary outlay of Rs 13,000-Rs 15,000 crore," PM Modi said.
The scheme will give a new strength to those involved in traditional skills, those working with their hands or tools, mostly from the OBC community, he added.
He said that the Jan Aushadhi Kendras have made the medicines affordable for people, saving the common people around Rs 20,000 crore.
"We will also be working in the coming days to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras from 10,000 to 25,000," he said.