Amid much debate on economic slowdown, Khadi has a reason to explain the growth! Unpalatable though it may sound, the sector that was believed to be tagged with ‘Dadaji’ and ‘Netaji’ till five years ago, has made a quantum jump since then. Yes, the Khadi production, which was of Rs 879.98 crore in the year 2014-15, has gone to Rs 1,902 crore in 2018-19 - which is a growth of more than 100 per cent. Similarly, the Khadi sale was Rs 1,310.9 crore in year 2014-15, has gone to Rs 3215.13 crore in 2018-19, recording a growth of over 145 per cent.
Jubilant with Khadi’s turnover going over Rs 74,323 crore in 2018-19, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena does not want to believe that it is the maxim of this untapped sector.
“Even the Village Industries reached to Rs 71,123.68 crore in 2018-19 with respect to turnover Rs 31,965.52 crore in 2014-15, with a growth rate of 123 per cent,” he said, adding, “Khadi has made an average jump of 62 per cent in Khadi fabric production in the last five years, i.e. from 103.22 million square meters in 2014-15 to 170.80 million square metres in 2018-19. In the fiscal 2014-15, the share of Khadi in overall Textile production was 4.23 per cent, which in the year 2018-19 has gone up to 8.49 per cent, which almost the double.”
Laying stress on how the artisan-centric initiatives could make a big impact, Saxena said during the last 3.5 years, the KVIC provided more than 32,000 New Model Charkhas and 5,600 modern looms, which has increased the Khadi production. “During this duration, 376 new Khadi institutions have been added along with over 40,000 new Khadi artisans. The KVIC has also created employment through Khadi in the remotest part of the country such as Leh, Ladakh, Kaziranga forest, Sunderban in West Bengal etc.,” he said, adding, “We, for the first time, brought Major Textile corporate like Raymonds, Arvind Mills and Aditya Birla Textiles in Khadi sector for its marketing, which has increased Khadi sale manifold. KVIC also brought major PSUs in the Khadi fold, for purchasing Khadi gift coupons, for their employees — which has given the business of over Rs 100 crore.”
The KVIC Chairman also outlined the introduction of e-marketing through Paytm, Shop’nShop and approaching Universities, Colleges, Schools, Municipal Bodies etc. for adopting Khadi Uniforms and ceremonial gowns for promotion of Khadi, which has increased the reach of Khadi among the young generation and made it buyer-friendly. “The introduction of new trendy designs such as Ladies Westernwear, Modi Jacket, Modi Kurta, Vichar Vastra and other high-end products, with high-quality stitching, has changed the image of Khadi,” he said.
