Union textile minister Smriti Irani inaugurated thematic handicrafts exhibition and launched a scheme of textile ministry 'pehchan' identity cards to artisans in Ahmedabad, yesterday. She distributed 'pehchan' cards to artisans from five clusters of Gujarat namely Jamnagar, Naroda, Surendranagar, Amreli and Kalol. <br/><br/>In a bid to encourage women and BPL artisans for metal craft, the ministry also announced that tool kits and safety equipment will be given to them free of cost. She said that textile ministry will also organize insurance camps in February to provide credit guarantee scheme and insurance to artisans at their doorstep. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the upgraded Pehchan cards for the artisans will be linked with their Aadhar Card numbers as well as their bank accounts so that they can receive the cash benefits of government schemes directly.

Union textile minister Smriti Irani inaugurated thematic handicrafts exhibition and launched a scheme of textile ministry 'pehchan' identity cards to artisans in Ahmedabad, yesterday. She distributed 'pehchan' cards to artisans from five clusters of Gujarat namely Jamnagar, Naroda, Surendranagar, Amreli and Kalol. <br/><br/>In a bid to encourage women and BPL artisans for metal craft, the ministry also announced that tool kits and safety equipment will be given to them free of cost. She said that textile ministry will also organize insurance camps in February to provide credit guarantee scheme and insurance to artisans at their doorstep. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the upgraded Pehchan cards for the artisans will be linked with their Aadhar Card numbers as well as their bank accounts so that they can receive the cash benefits of government schemes directly.