ASHA Scheme Kerala — ₹3L Grant for Handicraft Artisans — Frequently Asked Questions

The grant is a percentage of your fixed capital investment, with two slabs. General category artisans get 40% of fixed capital investment up to a maximum of ₹2.00 lakh. Young artisans aged 18 to 45, women artisans, and SC/ST artisans get 50% of fixed capital investment up to a maximum of ₹3.00 lakh.

Micro-enterprises in the handicraft sector that are established in Kerala can apply. The applicant must be an artisan recognised by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Government of India, or by a Kerala state-level body such as SURABHI, KSBC, KADCO, HDCK or KELPALM, and must have taken concrete steps to set up a handicrafts enterprise.

Yes. The scheme is run by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Kerala, and is aimed at handicraft micro-enterprises established within the state.

There is no fixed deadline. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, which means you can apply at any point once your enterprise details and documents are ready.

No. ASHA is grant assistance, so there is no equity dilution and nothing to repay. The entire approved amount is disbursed to the artisan in a single installment after approval.

Yes, you need one of the two. A handicraft micro-enterprise must either have filed an Entrepreneurs Memorandum Part-II with the District Industries Centre or hold Udyog Aadhaar registration to be eligible for assistance under the scheme.

You can. Units that have previously received subsidies or grants from the State Government, the Central Government or government agencies remain eligible, but the ASHA assistance will be limited to the remaining eligible amount.

The grant supports fixed capital investment in the enterprise: construction of work sheds or workshops, purchase of tools, equipment, machinery and accessories, electrification, and support for technology integration, product development and design improvements.

Apply online through the Directorate of Industries & Commerce scheme portal. Select the Assistance Scheme for Handicraft Artisans from the list of online services and click Apply Now. New users must complete a registration with their personal and enterprise details before logging in. After logging in, choose New Application on the applicant home page, fill in every mandatory section, upload the required documents and submit.

The application is screened for eligibility and completeness, then reviewed by the recommending or sanctioning authority. You may be asked for clarifications, and a physical inspection of the enterprise, tools, equipment and other assets may be carried out. Final approval rests with the sanctioning authority, after which a legal agreement is executed and the grant is disbursed.

No. DPIIT (Startup India) recognition is not listed as a mandatory requirement for ASHA Scheme Kerala — ₹3L Grant for Handicraft Artisans, though having it can strengthen your application and unlock other benefits.

ASHA Scheme Kerala — ₹3L Grant for Handicraft Artisans is offered by Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Kerala, a government body. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.