The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India is celebrating “Khadi Mahotsav” with the tag line of “Khadi for Nation and Khadi for Fashion” from 2^nd October 2023 to 31^st October 2023. 

The objective of the Khadi Mahotsav is to promote Khadi and Village Industries, Handloom and handicraft products, ODOP products and products of various traditional and cottage industries manufactured locally and to further promote the idea of "Vocal for Local" campaign and 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat” envisioned by the Hon'ble Prime Minister.

In this pursuit, the KVIC has been organizing number of programme to create awareness about using Khadi and other local products, taking plegde by students and public to use Khadi and other local products besides Khadi Yatras, organising mini exhibitions etc.  

In tune with the above objectives, online competitions have been hoisted at MyGov platform for participation of students and general public. The online competitions such as Quiz contest, Essay writing, Elocution Contest, Slogan contest, Street Play Competition, Jingle Contest, and Short Film contest are hoisted on MyGov Platform.

In Tamilnadu, as on date, 75 Khadi Institutions and State KVI Board are implementing Khadi and Village Industries activities in the State and these agencies are selling their KVI products through their 308 exclusive sales outlets and also 200 productions cum sales centres that are spreading across Tamilnadu.

During the last 9 years in Tamilnadu, the production of the Khadi products have increased to Rs. 26255.19 lakhs for the year 2022-23 from Rs.9190.07 Lakhs for the year 2013-14, while the sales have increased to Rs.46676.52 lakhs from 12124.10 lakhs.

 

As part of Khadi Mahotsav 2023, KVIC organized a One Day Exhibition of Khadi and other local Products on 30.10.2023 and 31.10.2023 at Vellalar College of Engineering and Technology, Thindal, Erode.

The Exhibition was inaugurated by Thiru Chandrasekar Secretary Vellalar College of Engineering and Technology, Thindal, Erode in presence of Sri Jayaraman Principal of Vellalar Engineering College and Smt. Jayanthi Principal of Vellalar College for Women.

The following Government Department officials were present 

1. Shri D. Karthikeyan Dy. Director, Weavers' Service Center, Salem
2. Shri R. Siddharthan, Assistant Director, KVIC Coimbatore
3. Shri Arul Deepak, Technical Superintendent, Weavers Service Centre, Salem

The following Khadi Institution, Hand-loom, Handicrafts and PMEGP units and their artisans had displayed and sold their products in the exhibition:

1. Padiyur Sarvodaya Sangh   –    Khadi & V.I. Products
2. Weavers Service Centre, Ministry of Textiles – Handloom products
3. Handicrafts Service Centre, O/o D.C. Handicrafts, Salem – Handicraft products i.e, Clay Terracotta Art products
4. South India Organic Farms, Erode (PMEGP unit) -Millet products
5. Vedha Pharma, Koundapadi, Erode (PMEGP unit) – Jute and cotton bag products

 

In this exhibition over 3500 students, teaching staff had participated from Vellalar College of Engineering and from Vellalar College for Women. They observed the event quite interestingly and purchased the local products. Elaborate arrangements were made for showcasing local Khadi products from Padiyur Sarvodaya Sangh, Clay articles from Handicrafts, Millet products from South India Organic Farms and Jute & cotton bags manufactured by the PMEGP (Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme) units. 

As part of exhibition Khadi mass Pledge was taken by over 300 college staff, teaching faculties and over 100 students from Velalar Arts and Engineering college.

 

In addition to exhibiting the local products, live demonstrations for clay articles making and live demonstration of hand operated Charkha were displayed and the students were keen to seen such these traditional methods of doing clay articles and cotton spinning by hand.

 

In this October month KVIC is organizing as many as 50 Mini Khadi Exhibitions throughout the country. Out of 50 exhibitions, in Tamilnadu the KVIC is organizing at 11 exhibitions for showcasing various local products being produced by traditional artisans engaged under the schemes like Khadi, PMEGP, Handicrafts, Handlooms, Coir, One District One Product (ODOP) etc.

The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) is a flagship scheme of Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India.  The KVIC is the Nodal Agency for implementation of the PMEGP Scheme with the objective of providing employment.  Under PMEGP Scheme, an individual can avail maximum Margin Money subsidy of Rs.17.50 lakhs by availing bank loan to set up manufacturing unit and Rs. 7.00 Lakhs as subsidy under Service sector units, depending upon the social category of the applicant and location of the unit. 

 

In Tamilnadu, KVIC has disbursed the Margin Money amount of Rs.17, 893 lakh to the PMEGP beneficiaries during the year 2022-23, while employment generation stands at 67,540 persons.

 

****

(Release ID: 1973573)