Shilpi Gram Scheme (Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe)

What is the Shilpi Gram Scheme?

The Shilpi Gram Scheme is a craft-development programme of the Uttarakhand Bahuuddeshiya Vitt Evam Vikas Nigam (UKBVVN), the state corporation that works for the economic upliftment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities under Uttarakhand's Social Welfare setup. The scheme aims to re-establish and modernise traditional artisan skills among SC/ST communities and to turn scattered craft work into an organised, employment-generating activity.

According to UKBVVN, the Shilpi Gram Scheme sets out to identify and register skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled artisans, give them appropriate training to raise their proficiency, introduce new techniques and designs, and then build market linkages and branding so their products can sell beyond the village. Traditional Uttarakhand crafts such as woollen carpets and other handloom and handicraft work are promoted under a common state brand.

The scheme is designed around a cluster or "craft village" idea; bringing artisans of a locality together so they can share raw material, training and market access. It is an institutional development scheme rather than a simple monthly cash benefit: the value to an artisan comes through free training, better designs, raw-material banks and a route to market.

Who is eligible for the Shilpi Gram Scheme?

You can be covered if:

• You belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and can produce a caste certificate.
• You are a resident of Uttarakhand.
• You are an artisan engaged in a traditional craft, for example weaving, carpet-making, woodwork, or metal craft; whether skilled, semi-skilled or just starting.

You cannot apply / are not eligible if:

• You do not belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe (the scheme is specifically for SC/ST artisans).
• You are not a resident of Uttarakhand.
• You are seeking a general personal cash pension, this is a craft-development scheme, not an income-support pension.

Because artisans are identified and registered by the corporation, being enrolled in the local craft cluster or coming forward through the district social welfare office is the usual entry point.

What benefits does the Shilpi Gram Scheme provide?

The Shilpi Gram Scheme delivers support in several forms rather than a single cash grant:

• Three-tier training; awareness creation, basic training and vocational training, with provision to extend training up to about three months where needed, followed by a quality review.

• Design and technique upgrade: exposure to new designs so that traditional products meet current market tastes.

• Raw-material support: raw-material banks such as wool and timber depots so artisans are not dependent on costly intermediaries.

• Marketing support: permanent markets and temporary stalls, product display at tourism centres, and participation in national and international fairs.

• Branding; standardisation and sale under an Uttarakhand brand (for example Uttarakhand woollen carpets).

• Infrastructure — proposed craft emporiums and cluster facilities with basic amenities.

• Craft emporiums. The scheme design provides for centralised craft emporiums at an indicative cost of about Rs 50 lakh per centre, with communication, electricity, water, road access and raw-material supply built in.

• Recognition and exposure; awards for outstanding artisans, free travel and accommodation for artisans taking part in fairs, and study tours to other hill states so artisans can learn new practices.

Term-loan and vocational-training assistance are part of the scheme's design, but the exact per-artisan financial figures are not published on the corporation's page. Confirm any specific amount directly with UKBVVN before relying on it.

Why Uttarakhand runs a dedicated craft scheme for SC and ST families

Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities make up a large share of Uttarakhand's traditional-craft workforce. The corporation records the SC population at roughly 17.5 percent and the ST population at about 3 percent of the state, much of it engaged in handicrafts. Left to the open market, many of these artisans sell scattered, low-value output through middlemen who capture most of the margin. Shilpi Gram tries to break that pattern by pooling artisans into clusters, upgrading their designs to current tastes, guaranteeing raw material through wool and timber banks, and putting their finished goods in front of tourists and fair audiences under a single Uttarakhand brand. The intended result is a higher and steadier income from the same craft skills the family already has.

How training is actually delivered on the ground

The corporation does not always run classes itself. As the Udham Singh Nagar district administration set out when it invited the programme locally, training under Shilpi Gram is frequently delivered through registered NGOs selected by a district-level committee. Interested organisations submit a full project proposal together with audited accounts for the previous three years, and the district committee picks the agency that will train the identified artisans. For an individual artisan this means the practical entry point is the district social welfare office or the UKBVVN office, which knows which agency is running training for which craft in that year. The process begins with a survey of craft villages and the registration and skill-classification of artisans, so coming forward to be surveyed and registered is the first real step.

What documents are required?

Keep self-attested copies and originals. The caste certificate is essential, as the whole scheme is limited to SC/ST artisans.

How to apply for the Shilpi Gram Scheme

Because artisans are registered by the corporation, the route is offline through UKBVVN and the district social welfare setup:

1. Contact the Uttarakhand Bahuuddeshiya Vitt Evam Vikas Nigam (UKBVVN) office or your district social welfare office and state that you are an SC/ST artisan seeking registration under the Shilpi Gram Scheme.
2. Submit your caste certificate, residence proof, Aadhaar, bank passbook and photograph, with any proof of your craft work.
3. Get identified and registered as an artisan in the local craft cluster.
4. Attend the training (awareness, basic and vocational) when it is scheduled for your craft.
5. Use the marketing, branding and fair-participation support offered to the cluster to sell your products.

Where a specific craft cluster or Shilpi Gram is being set up in your area, the district office will guide you into that cluster's activities.

How do I check progress or get updates?

Since selection and training are handled at the corporation and district level, follow up directly with the UKBVVN office or the district social welfare office where you registered. Ask about upcoming training batches, fairs and any raw-material or marketing support planned for your cluster.

Common reasons an artisan is not enrolled, and how to fix them

• Missing or expired caste certificate; obtain a valid SC/ST certificate first.
• No craft cluster active in your area for the year: ask the office when the next Shilpi Gram or training batch is planned.
• Incomplete registration documents: complete the residence proof, Aadhaar and bank details.

Grievance and where to get help

For any issue with registration, training or marketing support, contact the UKBVVN office or your district social welfare office, which hold the artisan registers. No verified statewide toll-free helpline is published specifically for the Shilpi Gram Scheme, so treat the corporation and district office as the primary contacts. All registration and training under the scheme is meant to be free, no agent should charge a fee to "enrol" an artisan.