A month-long National Khadi Festival 2018 to promote Khadi products has been inaugurated on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti 2018, by Union Minister for Micro Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Giriraj Singh. The fest is being organised by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at Gramodaya, 3, Irla Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai –56 .
Various types of Khadi products of different states would be available at the festival. Khadi clothes, khadi silk sarees, dress material, kurtas, jackets, bedsheets, carpets, chemical-free shampoos, honey and other household items, art and handicraft would be available. The main objective of the festival is to promote the products of cottage industry and create awareness regarding the art of states. The fest also aims to provide employment to weavers and workers who are involved in the cottage industry. Around 100 institutions from the nooks and corners of the country are participating in the exhibition.
Inaugurating the festival, the Union MSME Minister told that the Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has succeeded in taking the message of Khadi to various nations across the world, starting with fifty countries in the first stage. The Minister said that the Government is working in implementing the principles of Gandhiji, such as Swachhatha. He said that there would have been no unemployment if we had followed in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. He said that Khadi is a way to address the challenge of unemployment. It is a sustainable means of creating revenue for India’s villages, he said. He also said that modern design and fashion elements are being introduced in Khadi products. On the occasion, the Minister also launched the PMEGP Portal – a tool for increasing employment in micro enterprises.
Chairman, KVIC, Shri Vinai kumar Saxena reiterated that Khadi and Village Industries Commission is an organization based on the principles of Gandhiji, taking forward the wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building of a strong community spirit. Speaking on celebrating the 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi in KVIC, he said that this global event would increase awareness about Gandhiji globally and send a message that Gandhiji continues to be an inspiration for future generations. In this sequence of events, various programs like Khadi Sangam (under which exhibitions will be organized in 300 districts to promote Khadi products), e-commerce tie-ups, designing competitions for youngsters, World Khadi Congress, Gandhi Parv and many more such programs will be organised.
Earlier, the Minister inaugurated an exhibition and planted four moringa saplings in the premises of Central Office, Khadi and Village Industries Commission. A skit on Swachh Bharat was performed by students of Cosmopolitan Education Society, and five bee colonies were installed in the premises.
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