A total of 126 stage-3 verified artisans participated in a PM Vishwakarma branding and marketing workshop in Mon, focusing on entrepreneurship, digital adoption, e-commerce and financial literacy.
DIMAPUR — The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through its Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Dimapur, in collaboration with the Department of Industries and Commerce, Nagaland, and the District Industries Centre (DIC), Mon, organised a one-day awareness workshop on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.
The workshop was held at the Town Council Hall, Mon, on September 9, according to a press release issued by PIB Kohima.
A total of 126 stage-3 verified artisans from different parts of Mon district, including carpenters, masons, basket makers and barbers, participated in the workshop aimed at strengthening their entrepreneurial and business capabilities.
The workshop provided practical knowledge on product packaging, labelling and design, business development, export opportunities, artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, QR code generation and financial literacy.
Delivering the keynote address, EAC Mon Shekhozo Vero highlighted the importance of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in empowering traditional artisans and strengthening their livelihoods. He said the Ministry of MSME and the Government of Nagaland were committed to supporting genuine artisans through marketing assistance, skill upgrade, credit linkages and enterprise development initiatives.
Vero encouraged artisans to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset, explaining that while an artisan generally produces according to customer orders, an entrepreneur focuses on production as well as creating markets for products.
He said artisans in Mon district had immense potential owing to the uniqueness, quality and craftsmanship reflected in their products. Noting the growing global demand for handmade goods, he said consumers increasingly preferred authentic and handcrafted products despite the limited number of producers.
“I believe we will be able to find Mon artisanal products across the country in the coming years as well as in international markets,” he said.
The technical session on product packaging, labelling and design was conducted by Allen Konyak, founder of Ipseity Bake & Co., Mon. The session covered customer-oriented product development, effective packaging, product presentation, labelling requirements, branding strategies and innovative design practices aimed at improving product appeal and competitiveness.
A session on AI and e-commerce onboarding was conducted by the State Programme Management Unit (SPMU) of PM Vishwakarma. Participants were introduced to practical applications of digital technologies in enterprise development, including the use of AI for product promotion, content creation, customer engagement and business planning.
The session also highlighted e-commerce as a means of expanding market reach beyond local boundaries.
Sumit Kumar, Executive, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), Mon, facilitated the session on export development and QR code generation. He highlighted opportunities for artisans to explore wider markets through export-oriented approaches and explained the benefits of digital payment systems, including Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) account opening and other banking facilities available under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.
The financial literacy and interaction session, led by Shanpong Konyak, Assistant Manager, State Bank of India (SBI), Mon, covered household budgeting, investment planning, life insurance, credit discipline, credit scores, timely loan repayment, digital banking, cyber-fraud awareness and online financial safety.
During the interaction, artisans raised concerns regarding deductions of processing fees from bank accounts, documentation requirements for loan processing and delays of more than three months in field verification procedures.
The final technical session on business development was conducted by Polem, Financial Analyst, RAMP. It focused on business planning, SMART goals, networking, digital business development, identifying product strengths and unique selling propositions (USPs), understanding target customers and adopting appropriate pricing strategies for sustainable growth.
The programme began with a welcome address by M Chingo, Functional Manager, DIC Mon, who highlighted the importance of improving market access and business skills among artisans. It concluded with a vote of thanks by Nikhilendra, IEDS, Assistant Director, MSME-DFO Dimapur.
The workshop emphasised market-oriented thinking, digital adoption, financial awareness and entrepreneurial development as key components in enabling traditional artisans to become self-reliant entrepreneurs under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.