KVIC Plans to Go Global

The Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) plans to go Global With 150 Exhibitions across the World  

by Suman Gupta

MUM: OCTOBER 2, 2018 : The Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has started exhibiting its products in major overseas markets. In the first phase, KVIC organised exhibition in 10 centres on August 15 followed by another 50 centres on the occasion of the Gandhi Jayanti on Tuesday. Now, KVIC plans to exhibit its products across 150 major centres across the World in the second phase in the next Two Months.

“Our main aim is to generate employment. Hence, we do not focus on profit. Through promotion of Khadi, we focus on social welfare and employment generation together by bringing in women entrepreneurship in rural India,” said Giriraj Singh, Minister, MSME, on the occasion of inaugurating “Khadi Fest 2018”, an exhibition cum sale here in  Mumbai on Tuesday at Gramodaya, 3, Irla Road, Vileparle West, Mumbai. Mr Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman, KVIC and Ms Prita Varma, CEO, KVIC also was present.

The minister also launched an online application – PMEG e-portal – for the entrepreneurs’ to apply for financial assistance from the government. Until now, the government was lending between Rs 25 lacs to Rs 1 crore to the successful entrepreneurs with 15 per cent of subsidy. Now, successful entrepreneurs can apply for loan over and above limit also.

KVIC under the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Industries, reported a total turnover of Rs 25.08 billion for 2017-18 which showed a growth of 34 per cent from the previous year. Encouraged by the innovative initiatives taken by the government to promote khaki clothes and household articles, however, KVIC has set a sales target of Rs 32 billion for the current financial year.

The minister emphasized the development made from cow dung and urine as soap, floor cleaner and other household items of daily use. He said that he himself uses these products that are not only cost effective and environment friendly but also help employment generation in the rural household. Clarifying over the myth of khadi as costly product, Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, MSME while inaugurating Khadi Fest 2018, a month long exhibition cum sale ,said, “Khadi is for every class of people whose price starts from a minimum for poor class and goes upto elite class.

Speaking on the occasion, KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, said,” KVIC has achieved tremendous growth in sales over the last four years. Between 2004 and 2014, its sales recorded an average growth of 6.8 per cent. The sales growth was never achieved in double digit until 2014. Since then, KVIC has recorded sales growth of an average 133 per cent.”

KVIC recently tied up with India’s major branded garment and fabric manufacturer Raymond which, according to Saxena, purchased fabric worth Rs 90 million in FY 2017-18 from it. Now, Raymond has placed an order of Rs 400 million of khadi fabric to KVIC for 2018-19, Saxena said. KVIC launched solar charkha on Tuesday with aim for it to become a major source of earning of rural household in the years to come especially for women to earn in their leisure time.

The minister emphasized the need for rural development through use of charkha and cow dung and urine for making daily use household articles. “We aim every panchayat across the country to generate Rs 100 million per month from charkha and Rs 150 million from the articles made of cow dung and urine. The Rs 250 million per month revenue generation for every panchayat would certainly help India achieve enormous rural economic growth.