Chandigarh (Naval Kishore): Reaffirming their commitment to grassroots economic empowerment, the MSME Development and Facilitation Office (DFO), Ludhiana, under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, U.T. Chandigarh, has launched a pilot market access initiative at Sukhna Lake.
The initiative has been undertaken under the overall guidance of Shri H. Rajesh Prasad, Chief Secretary, U.T. Chandigarh, and with the support of Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary Tourism, U.T. Chandigarh, reflecting the Administration’s commitment to promoting local artisans and strengthening livelihood opportunities.
The three-day initiative, being held from September 3 to 5, 2026, provides artisans registered under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in U.T. Chandigarh with an opportunity to showcase and sell their handcrafted products directly to residents and tourists.
As part of the initiative, five PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries have been provided dedicated stalls at the venue to display their products. Building upon earlier market access initiatives, including the “One Airport One Product” stall established at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh, the programme aims to enable micro-entrepreneurs to bypass traditional intermediaries and connect directly with potential customers.
By providing artisans access to a prominent tourist destination with high visitor footfall, the initiative seeks to enhance their income opportunities, support sustainable livelihoods and promote the preservation of traditional crafts.
The initiative reflects strong interdepartmental coordination and a shared commitment to artisan welfare. It was inaugurated by Shri Deepak Chechi and Shri Prateek Katariya, Assistant Directors, MSME DFO. The initiative is anchored by Shri. Danish Asraf, JDC, M/o MSME and Shri Pankaj Jha, Joint directior, MSME DFO, Ludhiana. Coordinated by Shri Hitesh Bharadwaj from the Department of Tourism, U.T. Chandigarh and UT Project Management Team.
In addition to providing direct retail opportunities to artisans, a dedicated Udyam Registration stall has been established at the venue. The stall is engaging local entrepreneurs, creating awareness about the benefits of enterprise formalisation and providing on-the-spot assistance for Udyam registration.
About PM Vishwakarma:
PM Vishwakarma is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, launched on September 17, 2023. The scheme supports artisans and craftspeople engaged in 18 identified traditional trades.
Its benefits include recognition through a PM Vishwakarma certificate and identity card, skill upgradation with a training stipend, toolkit incentives, collateral-free enterprise development loans at concessional interest rates, incentives for digital transactions and marketing support.
