Rahula Bhanudas Mali, IAS Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto along with others during the PM Vishwakarma meeting at DC Chamber on January 20. (Morung Photo)
Discusses challenges faced by craftsmen and artisans
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | January 20
A meeting on the Prime Minister’s flagship programme, PM Vishwakarma, was convened at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Zunheboto on January 20. The meeting focused on addressing challenges faced by craftsmen and artisans under the scheme, which aims to support and empower skilled workers.
The meeting, chaired by Rahul Bhanudas Mali, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Zunheboto, saw the participation of key officials, including the General Manager of the District Industry Center (DIC), Block Development Officers (BDOs), the PM Vishwakarma Lead Team from Kohima, and representatives from the Common Service Center.
During the meeting, Er N Toky Chishi, GM DIC, highlighted the difficulties faced under the scheme, particularly issues regarding the onboarding of Gram Panchayat (GP) representatives, who act as the first-level verifiers for beneficiaries. One of the major challenges discussed was data mismatches, where village councils faced issues accessing the online portal and linking Aadhaar cards to mobile numbers. Furthermore, areas such as Akuhaito and Atoizu under the Zunheboto block were reported to have no registered beneficiaries.
Chishi presented a registration update for Zunheboto, revealing that 1,880 people have registered under the scheme, with 276 approvals received from the Ministry. Of these, 96 beneficiaries have undergone training, and only 11 have received the sectioned amount, all from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), while there has been no report of rural beneficiaries availing of training. He also pointed out that across Nagaland, over 21,000 beneficiaries are registered, but only around 2,000 have received training.
Yithule Krichena, State Team Lead for PM Vishwakarma, addressed the ongoing efforts to resolve these issues, announcing a “Mela” or awareness drive to be held in February. The Mela will be conducted in two phases, one in Zunheboto and another in Akuluto, with the aim of increasing awareness and registering more beneficiaries. He also emphasized the importance of accurate data and suggested that BDOs could serve as first-level verifiers when village councils face difficulties accessing the portal.
The Deputy Commissioner, along with the BDOs, proposed that the Village Development Board Secretary be appointed as the GP to ease the registration process. These individuals are familiar with local entrepreneurs and are well-equipped with smartphones to access the portal and complete the task.
The meeting concluded with a consensus to immediately begin linking Aadhaar cards with phone numbers for registered Village Council Chairmen. This step aims to accelerate the onboarding process of Gram Panchayats and address the grievances of beneficiaries, ensuring smoother implementation of the PM Vishwakarma scheme.
