CM Nitish Sets 25-Lakh Youth Skill Target Under PM Vishwakarma
Synopsis
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a target to provide skill training to 25 lakh youth under PM Vishwakarma Yojana, aiming to make them self-reliant and open better employment opportunities in Bihar.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar announced on 23 June 2026 that CM Nitish Kumar has set a target to skill 25 lakh youth under PM Vishwakarma Yojana .
The goal is to make beneficiaries self-reliant and provide them with better employment opportunities.
PM Vishwakarma Yojana was launched in the Union Budget 2023-24 to support artisans across 13 traditional trades with training, toolkits, and credit.
Bihar has a large youth population and has been an active participant in central skill development programmes.
The announcement was made during a review meeting and shared via the official Chief Minister's Office account on X.
Progress on training centre rollouts and beneficiary enrolment across Bihar districts will be closely watched.
The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar announced on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has set a target to skill 25 lakh youth under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, aiming to make them self-reliant and improve their employment prospects.
Speaking during a review meeting, CM Nitish Kumar stated that the goal is to provide skill training to 25 lakh young people under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, making them aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) and opening better employment avenues for them. The remarks were shared by the official Chief Minister's Office account in reply to a post by @samrat4bjp.
Context
PM Vishwakarma Yojana was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support traditional artisans and craftspeople across 13 trades. The scheme provides skill training, toolkits, and credit support to beneficiaries, aligning with the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat and Skill India frameworks. Bihar, with its large youth population, has been an active participant in centrally sponsored skill development programmes.Policy Backdrop
The Skill India Mission, launched in 2015, set an ambitious target of training 400 million people across sectors by 2022. PM Vishwakarma Yojana builds on this lineage by focusing specifically on traditional trades and artisan communities. Several states have since integrated the scheme into their own skill missions, and Bihar's announcement of a 25-lakh target reflects this pattern of state-level implementation planning for centrally sponsored employment initiatives.Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries are Bihar's youth and traditional artisan communities, who stand to gain certified skill training, access to modern toolkits, and potential credit support under the scheme. For a state with high youth population and significant out-migration for employment, a structured skill training pipeline could reduce dependence on informal labour markets. The scheme's emphasis on aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) also aligns with the state government's long-standing focus on local employment generation since CM Nitish Kumar first took office in 2005.What's Next
Attention will now turn to the rollout of training centres across Bihar's districts, the pace of beneficiary enrolment, and the disbursement of toolkits and loans under the scheme. Progress reports on how many of the targeted 25 lakh youth have been enrolled, trained, and supported with credit will be key indicators of the state's implementation capacity. The announcement positions Bihar as an active partner in the central government's artisan-economy push, with delivery benchmarks likely to be tracked in subsequent review meetings.Point of View
Specific number, the CM's office is setting a measurable benchmark that will be scrutinised as elections and governance reviews approach. This fits a broader pattern of state governments using centrally sponsored schemes to demonstrate delivery capacity to both New Delhi and local constituencies. The emphasis on aatmanirbharta also echoes the Centre's preferred development vocabulary, reinforcing political alignment at a time when Bihar remains a critical partner in the ruling coalition.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 25 lakh youth target announced by CM Nitish Kumar?
CM Nitish Kumar has set a target to provide skill training to 25 lakh youth in Bihar under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana , with the aim of making them self-reliant and improving their employment opportunities.
What is PM Vishwakarma Yojana?
PM Vishwakarma Yojana is a central government scheme announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support traditional artisans and craftspeople across 13 trades with skill training, toolkits, and credit support.
Who are the beneficiaries of PM Vishwakarma Yojana in Bihar?
The primary beneficiaries are Bihar's youth and traditional artisan communities who will receive certified skill training, access to toolkits, and potential credit support under the scheme.
When did CM Nitish Kumar announce the Bihar Vishwakarma skill target?
The announcement was made during a review meeting and shared by the Chief Minister's Office of Bihar on 23 June 2026 .
How does PM Vishwakarma Yojana relate to Skill India?
PM Vishwakarma Yojana builds on the Skill India Mission launched in 2015 , focusing specifically on traditional trades and artisan communities as part of the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.
