Life has come a full circle for one of Assam’s oldest Khadi Institutions in a span of 56 years.  The Khadi workshed at village Kawali in Baksa district of Assam has returned to life with spinning and weaving activities and direct employment to 60 families. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has revived the workshed and distributed charkhas and looms. The revived group workshed was inaugurated by KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena today. The institution remained in a vandalized state, bearing the scars of Bodo insurgency, for nearly 32 years.

The revival of this workshed is a historic feat for the entire state as it caters to people of multiple ethnic groups like Bodo, Mising, Assamese and Bengalis among others. This center has started operations with spinning, weaving and reeling activities of elegant Eri Silk of Assam and other cotton fabric and later on various other Khadi activities like manufacturing of village industry products likes kacchi ghani mustard oil etc.

The KVIC Chairman informed that another 100 charkha, looms and other equipment will be provided to the local artisans that will not only strengthen this Khadi institution but also empower the local artisans through self-employment and sustainable income. Saxena said that the revival of this Khadi workshed is historical and  KVIC will ensure all infrastructure support to strengthen this unit and very soon this will become a major employment creator for the local artisans in the area. In the next few months, this center will provide direct employment to nearly 200 more artisan families; this initiative is aligned with Khadi’s mantra of “rural resurgence” which also coincides with the  Prime Minister’s vision - Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, he added.

The workshed was constructed by a Khadi institution called Tamulpur Anchalik Gramdan Sangh which shifted to Assam from Arunachal Pradesh following the Chinese aggression in 1962. It began operations with mustard oil production and by the year 1970, spinning and weaving activities also started there providing livelihood to hundreds of artisan families. However, tragedy struck when the institution was burnt down by extremists in 1989 and it remained defunct since then.

This Khadi workshed in Kawali village, located 130 km from Guwahati, lies in a difficult terrain and can be reached only by crossing over river Matanga.  The workshed has been refurbished with financial assistance from KVIC. The idea behind the workshed scheme is to provide better working conditions to the Khadi artisans that will ultimately improve their productivity.

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