GANDERBAL: Br MSME Development & Facilitation Office (DFO), Srinagar organized a one-day Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EWP) at Government Degree College, Ganderbal, in collaboration with the District Industries Centre (DIC), Ganderbal.
The programme was organised exclusively for PM Vishwakarma artisans with the objective of creating awareness about entrepreneurship, self-employment opportunities, and institutional support available under various Government schemes.
During the program, officers from DIC Ganderbal provided a detailed overview of self-employment schemes being implemented in the Union Territory, including Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and Mission YUVA. The participants were sensitized about eligibility criteria, application procedures, subsidy components, and the role of these schemes in promoting sustainable livelihoods among artisans.
The Lead District Manager (LDM), Ganderbal, interacted extensively with the artisans and addressed their queries related to bank finance, credit linkage, and repayment mechanisms. He assured the participants of complete cooperation and support from all branches of J&K Bank in District Ganderbal for timely processing of loan cases under PM Vishwakarma, PMEGP, and other allied schemes.
The programme also focused on motivating PM Vishwakarma artisans to formalise their enterprises, adopt entrepreneurial practices, and expand their traditional skills into viable micro-businesses. Interactive sessions were held to clarify doubts and encourage active participation from the artisans.
The programme was organised under the directions of the Incharge, Br MSME DFO Srinagar, and General Manager, DIC Ganderbal, reflecting coordinated efforts of MSME and district-level institutions towards strengthening entrepreneurship among artisans.
Meanwhile, Branch MSME DFO Srinagar under Ministry of MSME in collaboration with District Industries Centre Anantnag, organised a PM Vishwakarma Capacity Building Programme on Business Development, Financial Literacy and E-Commerce in collaboration with the District Administration Anantnag.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation, with more than 220 artisans attending.
A.K. Tamaria (IEDS), Joint Director & Head of Office, MSME J&K, graced the occasion and provided detailed insights into the performance and progress of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in Jammu & Kashmir.
ADC Anantnag, Sundeep Singh Bali, also attended the programme as Guest of honour and motivated artisans to avail maximum benefits under the scheme.
Aftab Shala, Senior Corporate Official, J&K Bank, joined the programme virtually and elaborated on the credit facilities available under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.
Faculty members from IUST gave a detailed presentation highlighting e-commerce platforms as an effective tool for Vishwakarmas to expand market reach and enhance business sustainability.



