Empowering Artisans: The Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY)
The Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY) is a pivotal government initiative designed to revitalize and strengthen India's vibrant handicraft sector. Aligned with the broader goals of Skill India and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's emphasis on vocational and traditional arts, AHVY aims to foster a sustainable ecosystem for artisans by providing crucial financial, technological, and market support.
Operated as a cluster-based program under the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), AHVY's core mission is to elevate Indian artisanal products by fortifying regional networks of craftspeople nationwide, ultimately enhancing their livelihoods and preserving invaluable cultural heritage.
Core Objectives of AHVY
The scheme is strategically designed to achieve the following:
- Market Promotion: Intensify awareness and demand for high-quality handicrafts, particularly targeting niche and premium markets.
- Production Expansion: Facilitate the growth and diversification of the production base for a wide range of handicraft products, from utility-based items to lifestyle and mass-produced goods.
- Heritage Preservation: Actively conserve and revitalize languishing or endangered traditional crafts, ensuring the continuity of India's rich artistic legacy.
Key Components and Operational Details
AHVY employs a multi-faceted approach, encompassing social, technological, marketing, and financial interventions:
1. Social Interventions: Empowering Artisan Communities
- Mobilization & Survey: Engaging with artisan groups and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to conduct comprehensive baseline surveys in a prescribed format, documenting essential details like identity cards, photos, Aadhaar numbers, EPIC numbers, and bank account information for each artisan.
- Awareness & Planning: Conducting awareness camps and discussions within clusters to educate artisans and collectively formulate annual action plans.
- Financial Inclusion: Facilitating the opening of bank accounts for SHGs and individual artisans, notably under the Jan Dhan Yojana, to ensure their financial integration.
- Social Security Net: Enrolling every craftsperson under critical social security schemes like RSBY (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana) and AABY (Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana).
- Identity Provision: Issuing Artisans' Identity Cards (AIC) to all eligible cluster artisans.
- Formalization of Groups: Supporting the registration and formation of Producer Companies, Federations, or Institutions, with a mandate for at least 50% of cluster artisans to be members or shareholders, fostering collective ownership and professional management. Assistance of up to INR 1 lakh per year for up to 3 years is provided for this.
- Cluster Manager Appointment: Selecting qualified and experienced cluster managers to oversee and guide the cluster's development.
- Artisans' Credit Card (ACC): Facilitating flexible and cost-effective access to credit (for both investment and working capital) through Scheduled Banks in rural and urban areas, helping artisans meet their financial needs.
2. Technological Interventions: Modernizing Craftsmanship
- Tool Kit Assistance: Providing financial aid of approximately INR 5,000 per tool kit to equip artisans with modern and improved tools.
- Prototype Development & Skill Upgradation: Granting up to INR 1.80 million per workshop to support the development of new prototypes and the adoption of advanced techniques and technologies.
- Research & Development: Offering up to INR 10 lakhs for cluster and market studies, development of new tools, processes, and techniques, including test marketing and documentation.
- Training Support: Providing financial assistance for specialized training (e.g., up to INR 1,81,000 for general crafts and up to INR 5,755,000 for carpet training, with a share for the implementing agency).
- Seminars & Symposiums: Funding up to INR 6.70 million for organizing events focused on policy issues and challenges within the handicraft sector.
- Need-Based Studies: Allocating INR 5 lakhs for studies on need-based technology, process, and infrastructure.
3. Marketing Interventions: Expanding Market Reach
- Marketing Events: Support for participation in marketing events, including:
- For organizations from states other than J&K and North East: 75% assistance, up to INR 1,38,750, including TA/DA for artisans for demonstration purposes.
- For NER and J&K organizations (holding events outside their regions): Full transportation costs up to INR 1,85,000, plus TA/DA up to INR 30,000 per artisan for sales and demonstrations.
- For NER and J&K organizations (holding events within their regions): 75% assistance, up to INR 1,38,750, including TA/DA for artisans for demonstration purposes.
- Publicity Materials: Providing 75% financial assistance (100% for printing brochures, folders/maps, catalogs) for promotional activities.
- Marketing Infrastructure:
- New Emporia: Up to 50% of project cost, capped at INR 23 lakhs for own buildings, INR 11.50 lakhs for rented, or INR 5.75 lakhs for renovation/expansion.
- Cluster Visits: 100% government assistance up to INR 4 lakhs per cluster visit for market linkage initiatives.
- Exposure Visits: 100% assistance for exposure visits to best practices in India and abroad, based on merit.
- Workshed Support: Up to INR 1 lakh per workshed for artisan groups, covering storage for finished goods, raw materials, and working space.
- Entrepreneurship Training: Financial aid of INR 2 lakhs per training batch for entrepreneurship development programs.
4. Financial Interventions: Strengthening Economic Base
- Common Corpus Fund: 100% assistance of INR 4,000 per artisan (up to INR 5,00,000 per cluster) for creating a common corpus, enhancing credit facilities, and facilitating access to loans from banks and financial institutions.
- Cluster Manager Support: Monthly assistance of INR 27,566 for 60 months to support the cluster manager.
- Project Implementing Agency (PIA) Support: 5% of the total released amount (up to INR 1,00,000 for projects < INR 25,00,000 and INR 1,50,000 for projects > INR 25,00,000) for PIAs.
5. Cluster-Specific Infrastructure Interventions
- Raw Material Bank: Up to INR 2 crores for establishing raw material banks to ensure consistent supply.
- Common Facility Centre (CFC): Up to INR 60 lakhs per CFC for shared facilities for production, design, and other needs.
- Resource Centre & E-Kiosks: Support for setting up information resource centers and e-kiosks to enhance connectivity and access to information.
Eligibility Criteria for Implementing Agencies
A wide range of organizations can apply for AHVY projects to support artisan clusters:
- Apex Cooperative Societies
- Cooperatives
- COHANDS
- Handicraft Artists' Trusts
- Central and State Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporations
- Other government companies or agencies promoted by state governments or financial institutions.
- Handicrafts Export Promotion Council (EPCH)
- Reputed NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations)
- Renowned Indian and international designers
- Exporters and business owners registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act (non-profit organizations).
- Federations of NGOs/SHGs Consortiums, etc., registered under relevant laws.
- The National Center for Product Development and Design (NCDPD)
- Metal Crafts Service Center (MHSC)
- Organizations registered with state or central government under appropriate law for the long-term growth of craft clusters.
Required Documents for Project Registration
Applicants must submit the following documents with their Project Registration Application:
- KYC Documents: Copy of address proof, Aadhaar card, and PAN card of partners, authorized representatives, and directors (for company, society, trust, or authority, as applicable).
- Organizational Documents: Self-attested copy of the Memorandum of Association and Bylaws, and a copy of the legal registration certificate under the relevant law.
- Financial Records: Copies of audited balance sheets and annual reports for the last three years (certified by a Chartered Accountant).
- Meeting Minutes: Copy of the minutes from the last Annual General Meeting (AGM).
- Organizational Details: List of officers with full names, postal addresses, phone/mobile numbers, and email.
- Resolution for Aid: Copy of a resolution from the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) seeking financial assistance under the scheme.
- Bank Details: Name and address of the bank, account number, and details about the account.
- Utilization Certificates: Details of funds utilized from DC (Handicrafts) and other central/state government departments/agencies over the last three years.
- Project Leadership: Name and personal information of the project head, nodal officer, and authorized contact official.
- Affidavits:
- Declaration that the majority of governing body members are not from the same family.
- Information about individuals holding membership in any other society registered in India.
- Affidavit confirming the organization is not involved in illegal activities and has not been blacklisted by any central or state agencies.
Payment Method
Financial assistance under AHVY is generally disbursed in two installments:
- First Installment: 50% of the approved amount is released as an advance.
- Second and Final Installment: The remaining amount is paid upon receipt of the required audited expenditure report, Utilization Certificate (UC) in GFR-19A format, the cumulative end performance report, and any other necessary documents.
- For departmental activities, full payment may be released as an advance.
AHVY stands as a crucial pillar in the government's efforts to uplift the handicraft sector, ensuring that India's rich artisanal heritage thrives in a modern, competitive, and digitally-enabled economy.
