Khadi Products Clock Record Sales of Rs 12.02 Crore at Mahakumbh

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), organized a national-level exhibition in Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh from January 14 to February 27, 2025. KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar stated that the exhibition witnessed historic sales of Khadi products amounting to Rs 12.02 crore, driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Khadi Revolution.'

The event featured 98 Khadi stalls and 54 village industry stalls, collectively generating sales worth Rs 9.76 crore in Khadi products and Rs 2.26 crore in village industry items. To further promote the 'New Khadi for New India' initiative, Chairman Kumar distributed 2,050 bee boxes, honey colonies, and toolkits to 205 beekeepers across six states through a video conference from KVIC's Rajghat office in Delhi.

Highlighting the government's efforts to expand the 'Sweet Revolution' in rural India, Kumar recalled PM Modi's 2016 call from Deesa, Gujarat, advocating for a nationwide push toward honey production. Following this vision, KVIC launched the 'Honey Mission' in 2017, benefiting over 20,000 individuals with the distribution of two lakh bee boxes and colonies.

Citing the 75th episode of PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat,' Kumar emphasized the financial benefits of beekeeping, not only from honey but also from bee wax, which is in high demand in pharmaceutical, food, textile, and cosmetic industries. He encouraged farmers to integrate bee farming with their agricultural practices, promoting self-reliance in honey production.

Discussing the achievements of the Khadi sector over the past decade, the KVIC Chairman noted that sales of Khadi and village industry products had increased fivefold, from Rs 31,000 crore to Rs 1,55,000 crore. The sales of Khadi garments alone have grown six times, from Rs 1,081 crore to Rs 6,496 crore. Additionally, 10.17 lakh new jobs were created in the last financial year, with a 213% rise in Khadi artisans' income. Notably, over 80% of employment in the sector has been generated for women.

The event was attended virtually by beneficiaries of the Village Industries Development Scheme, along with KVIC officials from Mumbai and Delhi.