MSME-DFO Imphal organised a PM Vishwakarma awareness programme for 150 artisans, focusing on branding, AI, digital payments, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and market access.
Imphal, August 1: The MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Imphal, organised a one-day awareness programme on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme for the financial year 2026-27 at the Government ITI, Takyel, on Friday. The programme brought together around 150 beneficiaries representing various traditional trades from across Manipur.
The initiative focused on strengthening the entrepreneurial, marketing, financial and digital capabilities of artisans while familiarising them with the support mechanisms available under the Centre's flagship scheme for traditional craftspeople.
Welcoming the participants, dignitaries and resource persons, Manoj Sharma, IEDS, Assistant Director, MSME Development and Facilitation Office, highlighted the objectives of the programme and stressed the importance of equipping artisans with skills that extend beyond production.
An overview of the implementation of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in Manipur was presented by M. Siva Sai Reddy, IEDS, Assistant Director, Programme Coordinator and In-charge of the scheme at MSME-DFO, Imphal. He outlined the progress achieved so far, key initiatives undertaken in the state and efforts to ensure effective implementation across Manipur.
Traditional crafts must embrace innovation
Addressing the programme as the chief guest, Hannah Kamei, IAS, Director of Trade, Commerce and Industries, Government of Manipur, underscored the need to preserve traditional craftsmanship while embracing innovation, entrepreneurship, branding and market-oriented approaches to improve the income and livelihoods of artisans.
Longjam Subhaschandra Singh, Joint Director of the Directorate of Craftsmen and Training, encouraged beneficiaries to continuously upgrade their skills and make full use of opportunities available under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme for enterprise development.
A. Loken Singh, General Manager of the District Industries Centre (DIC), highlighted various government support mechanisms available to artisans and urged beneficiaries to formalise and expand their enterprises by taking advantage of existing schemes.
Technical sessions cover marketing, finance and AI
The awareness programme featured multiple technical sessions aimed at improving business capabilities among artisans and micro-entrepreneurs.
Masotmi Zimik, State Engagement Officer of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), conducted a session on enhancing productivity through skill development, changing market trends and effective sales strategies.
Financial literacy and institutional support formed another key component of the programme. Dr. Meitram Luwang, Lead District Manager, explained banking procedures, responsible financial management, digital banking services, credit linkages and institutional support available to PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries.
Entrepreneur H. Shubhra Devi, founder of Meira Foods, discussed entrepreneurship development, branding, packaging, product design and export opportunities, highlighting the importance of value addition for traditional products.
Meanwhile, Sourabh Kumar Singh, IEDS, Assistant Director, Ministry of MSME, briefed participants on various MSME schemes and encouraged them to obtain Udyam Registration or Udyam Assist Registration to access government benefits.
AI and digital payments introduced to artisans
One of the programme's highlights was a dedicated session on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for business growth and market development.
The session, conducted by Kashing Shingnaisui, Young Professional at MSME-DFO Imphal, demonstrated practical AI applications for product photography, branding, content creation, social media marketing and customer engagement.
Participants were also introduced to QR code generation and digital payment systems to improve customer convenience and expand digital financial inclusion.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) and PhonePe participated as Digital Payment Aggregator partners during the event. Officials said 13 PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries successfully generated QR codes to begin accepting digital payments, while IPPB also provided on-site assistance for opening savings accounts for eligible participants.
Beneficiaries raise implementation issues
The programme concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session during which beneficiaries sought clarification on training stipend disbursement, loan sanction procedures, toolkit distribution, Udyam Registration, eligibility for Advanced Skill Training and other implementation-related issues.
Officials explained the prescribed procedures, grievance redressal mechanisms and follow-up processes under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.
According to the organisers, the programme enhanced awareness among beneficiaries on entrepreneurship, branding, packaging, financial literacy, digital marketing, Artificial Intelligence, export opportunities and government support schemes while strengthening coordination among stakeholders for more effective implementation of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in Manipur.
