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Artisan and handicraft maker

Make pottery, weaving, metal, wood or toy crafts and sell to buyers across India.

Money to start

Up to ₹50,000

Time it needs

25 to 40 hours a week

Risk

Low

Works from home

Yes

Explore

What it is, who it suits, what it can pay, how soon, the upside and the risks.

Traditional crafts such as pottery, basket weaving, toys, metal work and embroidery sell at melas, shops, exhibitions and online. PM Vishwakarma supports 18 traditional trades with training, toolkits and cheap loans.

Who it suits

  • Families with a craft tradition
  • Rural and small-town artisans
  • Makers who want buyers beyond their town

Upside

  • Scheme support
  • Online and export demand
  • Unique products

Risks to know

  • Middlemen take most of the margin
  • Raw material costs
  • Slow sales without marketing

What it can pay

We do not publish a number without a reliable source.

What drives it: Design, finish, the buyer you sell to (a middleman pays less than a direct buyer), and volume.

Time to first income

Weeks, from your first local sale.

Assess

Skills, money, tools, hours and registrations you need, and a five question fit check.

Skills

  • Your craft
  • Taking product photos

Money to start

Tools and raw material; PM Vishwakarma gives a toolkit incentive.

Tools

  • Craft tools
  • Smartphone for photos and UPI

Time per week

15 to 40 hours a week.

Licences and registrations

Tick each one as you get it. Your ticks stay on this device.

Quick fit check

  1. 1.Do you practise one of the traditional trades?
  2. 2.Can you make products of steady quality?
  3. 3.Will you take photos and share them?
  4. 4.Can you travel to melas?
  5. 5.Will you sell directly instead of only to middlemen?

Answer all five to see how well this fits you.

Run

Your first 30 days to the first rupee: set up, price, get paid, find customers, keep records.

0 of 12 steps done

  1. Days 1 to 7

    Set up

  2. Days 8 to 10

    Price it and get ready to be paid

  3. Days 11 to 24

    Find your first customers

  4. Days 25 to 30

    Record and review

Nurture

Grow and stay compliant: tax, GST, government schemes and the help that fits.

Grow it

  • Use the second PM Vishwakarma loan tranche to expand
  • Sell online with your own brand
  • Explore export through e-commerce

Tax: Small business on presumptive tax

Return: ITR-4 (Sugam) if total income is up to ₹50 lakh; otherwise ITR-3

  • This is business income. With turnover up to ₹2 crore (₹3 crore if at least 95% comes in digitally) you can use Sec 58 of the Income-tax Act 2025 (old Sec 44AD): declare 6% of digital receipts and 8% of cash receipts as profit, or more if you earn more. No detailed books needed.
  • If you leave this scheme after using it, you cannot come back to it for the next five years. Choose with care.
  • Under the new regime, total income up to ₹12 lakh usually means no tax after the rebate. You still file, to show the income and claim back any TDS.
  • Pay advance tax in one go by 15 March if the year's tax is ₹10,000 or more.

GST on goods

Register once turnover from goods crosses ₹40 lakh in most states (₹20 lakh or ₹10 lakh in some special category states). Selling goods to other states usually needs registration from the start. Composition (1% for traders) keeps it simple up to ₹1.5 crore.

Government schemes that help

Make it official

Only what this way of earning needs. Free tools are marked; services are done by a TaxSavvy CA.

Ask a SavvyPM VishwakarmaRegistration, toolkit and loan under the scheme.See how it works →TaxSavvy serviceUdyam registrationGet your MSME certificate done right, with the correct activity code.See how it works →TaxSavvy serviceITR-4 presumptive returnYour return under Sec 58 presumptive tax, filed by a CA.See how it works →TaxSavvy serviceGST registrationA Savvy files it and tells you if composition suits you.See how it works →

Questions

How much can I earn from artisan and handicraft maker in India?

What drives it: Design, finish, the buyer you sell to (a middleman pays less than a direct buyer), and volume.

How long until the first income?

Weeks, from your first local sale.

What do I need to start?

Tools and raw material; PM Vishwakarma gives a toolkit incentive. Registrations: PM Vishwakarma registration through a CSC, Bank account and UPI, Udyam registration, GST registration.

Which ITR form do I file for this income?

ITR-4 (Sugam) if total income is up to ₹50 lakh; otherwise ITR-3. This is business income. With turnover up to ₹2 crore (₹3 crore if at least 95% comes in digitally) you can use Sec 58 of the Income-tax Act 2025 (old Sec 44AD): declare 6% of digital receipts and 8% of cash receipts as profit, or more if you earn more. No detailed books needed.

Do I need GST?

Register once turnover from goods crosses ₹40 lakh in most states (₹20 lakh or ₹10 lakh in some special category states). Selling goods to other states usually needs registration from the start. Composition (1% for traders) keeps it simple up to ₹1.5 crore.

Which government schemes can help?

PM Vishwakarma, PM Mudra Yojana, GeM, ONDC. Each scheme has its own eligibility; check the official site before applying.

Sources

Read on 4 Nov 2026. Limits, rates and fees change: check the official site before you rely on them.

This guide is general information from TaxSavvy, not a promise of income. No legal way to earn is guaranteed or instant. Avoid any offer that asks you to pay to join, recruit others or bet.

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