The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has bagged an order worth  Rs 5.88 crore from the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), in the form of Khadi gift coupons for its 23,504 employees.

 GAIL agreed to gift Khadi coupons of  Rs 2,500 to each of its 23,504 employees in all its units across the Nation. The employees, however, would be able to purchase Khadi and products of Village Industries worth Rs 3,250 from the coupon of Rs 2,500. The coupons could be redeemed throughout the year at all Departmental Sales Outlets of KVIC.

To give easy access to the employees of GAIL to redeem their coupons, KVIC will organize 3 special exhibitions also, at Pata, District Etawah, Vijaypur, District Guna and Jhabua, in Madhya Pradesh where the GAIL have their maximum employees. The MOU has been signed between KVIC and GAIL on 10th October 2019. KVIC will deliver the coupon this week.

KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that such huge orders from government and PSUs not only increase the income of the artisans — pivotal in the growth of Khadi sector, but also inspires new entrepreneurs to associate with Khadi with better job avenues.

“Orders in recent past from GAIL, ONGC, REC, IOC, MRPL, OIL, JK Cement and BEE have been implemental in making a compounding effect on the livelihood of Khadi artisans and have been creating more jobs by adding thousands of new artisans in KVIC’s kitty,” he said, adding, “These orders will certainly create more employment and subsequently raise the income of the existing artisans. It would also pave way for KVIC for more convergence with different Ministries and Public Sector Units.”

For the first time. The KVIC  launched gift coupon scheme in 2017 and till date gift coupons of face value worth Rs 89.29 Crores have been sold which is a record in itself and also an indication that the people have started adopting Khadi in place of other international brands.