New Delhi [India], March 12 : Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Manoj Kumar said that the 'Khadi Revolution' has brought about a comprehensive change in the lives of artisans in the past 10 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the KVIC Chairman said that the Khadi and Village Industries sector during the financial year 2024-25 and that the Commission has taken an important decision in the interest of Khadi artisans.
"The wages of Khadi artisans will be increased by 20 per cent from April 1, 2025. Presently, spinners get Rs 12.50 for spinning per hank on the charkha, which will be increased by Rs 2.50 from April 1, 2025. As per the increased rate, they will now get Rs 15 per hank spun. The Government has made a historic increase in the income of spinners and weavers," he said.
He further said that the wages were increased from Rs 7.50 to Rs 10 per hank on April 1, 2023.
"It was increased from Rs 10 per hank to Rs 12.50 per hank on September 17, 2024. It is being increased to Rs 15 per hank from April 1, 2025. In the last 11 years, the Modi Government has made a historic increase of 275 per cent in the wages of Khadi artisans," the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises stated.
The Chairman of KVIC informed that, on the occasion of Maha Kumbh 2025, a national-level Khadi and Village Industries Exhibition was organized at Prayagraj from January 14 to February 27, 2025.
With the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Khadi Revolution', there was a historic sale of Khadi products worth Rs 12.02 crore. 98 Khadi and 54 Village Industries stalls were set up in the exhibition, in which Khadi worth Rs 9.76 crore and Village Industries products worth Rs 2.26 crore were sold, it added.
Manoj Kumar said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the mantra of 'Khadi for Fashion' for 'Khadi Renaissance' during Bharat Tex-2025, organized at Bharat Mandapam, Delhi.
"With the aim of taking this mantra to the masses and popularizing Khadi as a modern dressing, KVIC recently organized grand Khadi fashion shows in major cities of the country, including Nagpur, Pune, Vadodara, Chennai, Jaipur and Prayagraj," he added.
He informed that through these fashion shows organized under the inspiration of the Prime Minister, an effort was made to reach the 'New Khadi of New India', especially to the younger generation, which has been extremely successful. "This has given a new dimension to Khadi and it is establishing its identity as a modern garment."
The chairman of KVIC said that the sale of Khadi and Village Industry products has increased dramatically in the last ten years.
The sale of Khadi and Village Industry products increased 5 times i.e. from Rs 31,000 crore to Rs 1,55,000 crore in the financial year 2023-24. The sale of Khadi clothes increased 6 times, i.e. from Rs 1,081 crore to Rs 6,496 crore in FY 2023-24. In all, 10.17 lakh new persons got employment in FY 2023-24, he said.
He further said that according to the data received so far, a new record of production and sales will be created in FY 2024-25.
KVIC Chairman said, "With the impact of Khadi revolution under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khadi has become not just a fabric but the foundation of economic empowerment of rural India".