Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday wrote to Union Minister for MSME, Jitan Ram Manjhi, informing him that the Tamil Nadu government will not implement the PM Vishwakarma scheme in its present form. The state has decided to formulate a more inclusive and comprehensive scheme based on social justice for artisans, which does not discriminate based on caste, Stalin said in a letter to Manjhi. The state had sought modification in the Viswakarma scheme, Stalin said citing his letter to PM Modi on January 4, 2024. The CM recalled that, moving forward, Tamil Nadu also constituted a committee to study that scheme in the wake of concerns that this initiative strengthens the system of 'caste-based vocation.' Subsequently, the panel recommended modifications to the central scheme and it was brought to the attention of PM Modi. To this, though there was a reply on March 15, 2024 from the MSME Department, there was no mention of the modifications suggested by Tamil Nadu. Hence, Stalin said: