New Delhi, Dec 19: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today assured all assistance to the 1.25 crore handloom workers and craftsmen in the country to make them internationally competitive and improve their standard of living. Vajpayee told UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a video conference that the government was committed to providing credit to the handloom and handicraft workers at reasonable rates to enable increase in exports from the sector and make the products domestically competitive.

Vajpayee, who was launching the artisan credit card from his residence here, had a special praise for Naidu who, he said, was moving one step forward with developmental schemes.
Under the credit card scheme, a maximum credit of Rs 2 lakh will be provided at an interest rate of 9 per cent for male artisans and 8.5 per cent for women artisans.

Besides the Prime Minister, BJP president Venkaiah Naidu and textiles minister Shahnawaz Hussain also witnessed the simultaneous launch of cards by Naidu, Yadav and Patnaik through video conferencing.

The three chief ministers also briefly apprised the Prime Minister of the steps being taken by the states for the upliftment of artisans.

Expressing happiness, Vajpayee asked them to keep up with the developmental work in their states and assured all assistance from the Centre.
Bureau Report