Monthly Grant to Old Crafts Persons (Pension) — Development of Handicrafts Scheme

What is the Monthly Grant to Old Crafts Persons (Pension)?

Monthly Grant to Old Crafts Persons (Pension) is a component of the Development of Handicrafts scheme run by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Puducherry, through the District Industries Centre. The component pays a monthly pension of Rs 5,000 to artisans who have crossed 60 and spent their working lives in a traditional craft.

The Directorate frames the purpose without sentiment: the pension exists to protect artisans in old age, taking into account each individual's contribution towards protecting the traditional craft. Handicraft work in Puducherry is largely unorganised. Artisans in stone carving, pith craft, terracotta, mat weaving or Tanjore painting rarely have provident fund cover or a formal employer, so old age arrives with no income floor at all.

The wider Development of Handicrafts scheme also funds Gurukulam-style training with a Rs 4,500 monthly stipend for trainees aged 18 to 35, sponsorship for exhibitions, and grants to registered handicrafts societies. This page covers only the pension component.

Key features

• Rs 5,000 per month to the craftsperson.
• Rs 2,500 per month to the living spouse after the craftsperson's death.
• Paid from the completion of the 60th year for the lifetime of the beneficiary.
• Renewed every year.
• Family income ceiling of Rs 75,000 per annum.

The Directorate's Development of Handicrafts page, last updated 15 June 2026, is the source of these figures. National aggregator listings still carry the older rates of Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 a month and an income ceiling of Rs 40,000, so verify at the District Industries Centre counter.

Who is eligible for the old craftspersons pension?

You can apply if:

• You are an artisan who has attained the age of 60 years.
• You are a native or resident of the Union Territory of Puducherry for at least 5 years.
• You have practised the craft for at least 5 years in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
• Your family income from all sources does not exceed Rs 75,000 per annum.
• You are not receiving similar financial assistance from any other source.

You cannot apply if:

• You are below 60 years of age. There is no early-pension provision.
• Your residence or your craft practice in Puducherry falls short of 5 years.
• Family income from all sources exceeds Rs 75,000 per annum.
• You already draw a similar pension or grant from another government source, a concurrent claim makes you not eligible, and drawing both leads to recovery.
• You are a trader or dealer in handicrafts rather than a practising artisan. The scheme is for the craftsperson, not for the shop.

The surviving spouse of a beneficiary continues to receive the reduced amount for life, subject to the same income condition. The spouse does not need to be a craftsperson.

How much is paid and for how long?

• Rs 5,000 per month to the craftsperson, from the completion of the 60th year.
• Rs 2,500 per month to the living spouse after the craftsperson's death, for the spouse's lifetime, subject to meeting the income criterion.
• The assistance continues for the lifetime of the beneficiary, but must be renewed every year. A missed renewal stops the credit until it is regularised.

Payment goes into the beneficiary's bank account. Keep the account active. A dormant account is the commonest reason a pensioner finds two or three months missing.

How to apply for the Monthly Grant to Old Crafts Persons

The District Industries Centre accepts applications offline.

1. Download or collect the form. Print the prescribed application form from the forms download area at dic.py.gov.in, or collect a hard copy from the District Industries Centre.
2. Fill in all mandatory fields. Paste a recent passport-size photograph, sign across it if required, and complete the craft details, the years of practice and the bank particulars.
3. Attach self-attested copies of the documents. Age proof, residence proof establishing 5 years in Puducherry, evidence of at least 5 years of craft practice, family income certificate, Aadhaar and bank passbook. Add the declaration that you are not drawing similar assistance elsewhere.
4. Submit to the General Manager. Visit the General Manager, District Industries Centre, Industrial Estate, Thattanchavady, Puducherry - 605009, on a working day during office hours and hand over the form with the documents. The office telephone numbers are +91-413-2248391, +91-413-2249392 and +91-413-2248987.
5. Note the unique number assigned to you. On receipt of the application, the office makes an entry in the application receipt register and assigns a unique number that identifies you in all further references and serves as the acknowledgement of receipt. Record it.

How do I check the status, and how does renewal work?

• Status: quote your unique application number to the District Industries Centre on +91-413-2248987 or +91-413-2248391. The Directorate of Industries and Commerce can be reached on +91-413-2248476.
• Renewal: the pension is renewed annually. Ask the District Industries Centre for the renewal formalities and the month in which they fall due for your case, and submit a life certificate along with a current income declaration. Do not wait for a reminder.
• Payment: check your bank passbook rather than relying on messages. If two consecutive months are missing, contact the District Industries Centre before the arrears build up further.

Why are applications rejected?

• Craft practice cannot be evidenced. A self-declaration is not enough. Obtain a certificate from your handicrafts society or co-operative, or ask the District Industries Centre field staff to certify your practice.
• Income certificate above Rs 75,000. The certificate must cover family income from all sources, not just the artisan's earnings.
• Residence shorter than 5 years or unprovable. An old electoral roll entry or a Revenue Department residence certificate stating the period works better than a recent ration card alone.
• Age not yet 60. Applications filed a few months early are returned; apply after the birthday.
• Already drawing a similar pension. Disclose any other pension. Concealment results in recovery of the amount paid.
• Renewal missed. An existing beneficiary who skips the annual renewal is treated as lapsed until the paperwork is completed.

Are there fixed dates?

The Directorate has not notified a closing date for the pension component; applications are received through the year. Two timing rules matter in practice: apply once you complete 60 years, and complete the annual renewal on time every year. The training component of the Development of Handicrafts scheme, by contrast, has a fixed cycle — applications in August, advertised in local dailies in July, with training starting in December, so do not confuse the two calendars.

How do I raise a grievance?

• General Manager, District Industries Centre, Industrial Estate, Thattanchavady, Puducherry - 605009, +91-413-2248987 and +91-413-2248391, email dic_pdy@bsnl.in.
• Director, Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Industrial Estate, Thattanchavady, Puducherry - 605009, +91-413-2248476, +91-413-2248168 and +91-413-2248320.
• Departmental grievance mechanism published at industry.py.gov.in/grievance-redressal-mechanism.
• Secretary to Government (Industries and Commerce), Chief Secretariat, Puducherry - 605001, +91-413-2336115.
• Central portal: pgportal.gov.in, quoting your unique application number.