Dilip Guha ★ New Delhi: In the financial year 2025–26, sales of Khadi and Village Industries products reached a historic high of Rs. 1,87,105 crore, marking the highest-ever sales figure for the sector and underscoring the growing spirit of entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and economic empowerment across rural India.
This was revealed by Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), while releasing the provisional performance data for the financial year 2025–26 at a press conference held at KVIC headquarters, Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, New Delhi, on May 26, 2026.
Addressing the media, Shri Kumar stated that the Commission has achieved new milestones in production, sales, and employment generation. He highlighted that under the visionary leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Khadi and Village Industries sector has witnessed an extraordinary phase of expansion and transformation over the last twelve years.
Drawing momentum from national initiatives such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, and Local to Global, Khadi has evolved beyond its traditional identity to emerge as a dynamic symbol of New India’s self-reliance, indigenous pride, and rural prosperity.
He further noted that by setting new benchmarks in production, marketing, and employment generation, the Khadi and Village Industries sector has infused renewed energy into India’s rural economy and strengthened its role as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive growth.
He highlighted that, compared to the year 2013-14, a remarkable growth of 501 per cent in sales, 380 per cent in production, and 56 per cent in employment generation has been recorded over the last 12 years. Highlighting the growth of previous years, he noted that in the financial year 2024-25, sales grew by 447 per cent and production by 347 percent in comparison to 2013-14; similarly, in the financial year 2023-24, a growth of 400 per cent in sales and 315 per cent in production was recorded in comparison to 2013-14.
KVIC Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar stated that, under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, KVIC’s schemes are infusing new momentum into the rural economy through the initiatives of ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Local to Global’.
Sales of Khadi and Village Industry Products Surpass Rs 1.87 Lakh Crore Mark
Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar hailed the Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s (KVIC) remarkable performance as a milestone in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat@2047. He credited the achievement to the effective guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the enduring inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi, and the tireless efforts of millions of artisans in rural India.
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Highlighting the scale of progress, Shri Kumar noted that the production of Khadi and Village Industry products, which stood at ₹26,109 crore in 2013–14, has surged
nearly fivefold to ₹1,25,296 crore in 2025–26 — a jump of 380 per cent. Sales figures have shown even more dramatic growth, rising from ₹31,154 crore in
2013–14 to an unprecedented ₹1,87,105 crore in 2025–26, marking a sixfold increase of 501 per cent and the highest sales ever recorded.
“This extraordinary growth is not only accelerating the realisation of Viksit Bharat@2047 but also firmly positioning India among the world’s leading economies,” Shri Kumar
stated.
Unprecedented Growth in Production and Sales of Khadi Textiles
He informed that the Khadi textiles sector has recorded remarkable progress over the past decade. Production, which stood at Rs. 811 crore in 2013–14, surged to Rs. 3,974 crore in the financial year 2025–26, registering an increase of nearly 390 percent. Simultaneously, sales rose from Rs. 1,081 crore to Rs. 7,869 crore, reflecting an impressive growth of approximately 628 percent.
The sustained promotion and advocacy of Khadi by the Prime Minister have significantly contributed to strengthening consumer confidence, expanding market reach, and increasing nationwide acceptance of Khadi products.
Substantial progress has also been witnessed in the village industries sector. Production of village industry products increased from Rs. 25,298 crore in 2013–14 to Rs. 1,21,322 crore in the financial year 2025–26, registering a growth of around 380 percent. During the same period, sales climbed from Rs. 30,073 crore to Rs. 1,79,236 crore, reflecting a robust increase of nearly 496 percent.
The sector has also emerged as a major driver of employment generation. Employment in village industries increased from 1.19 crore people in 2013–14 to nearly 1.99 crore in 2025–26, underlining its expanding contribution to rural livelihoods and economic empowerment.
Driven by the impact of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s flagship initiatives, such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Ghar-Ghar Swadeshi, demand for village industry products has maintained a sustained upward trajectory. As a result, the sector has emerged as a key pillar of rural industrial growth, market expansion, and employment creation.
KVIC’s Historic Achievement in Employment Generation
KVIC has also achieved a significant milestone in employment generation. Cumulative employment under Khadi and Village Industries activities increased from 1.30 crore in 2013–14 to 2.04 crore in the financial year 2025–26, marking a growth of 56 per cent. This achievement highlights KVIC’s growing role in strengthening rural livelihoods and advancing inclusive economic development across the country.
PMEGP Gives New Momentum to Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship
Under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP),66,494 new units were established during the financial year 2025-26, and for these units, a margin money subsidy of Rs. 2,457 crore was disbursed against loans amounting to Rs. 7,375 crore. Through these units, employment opportunities were provided to 7,31,434 people. Since the start of the scheme, a total of 10,84,679 units have been established, for which a margin money subsidy of Rs. 29,623 crore has been disbursed against loans totalling to Rs.80,705 crore. Through this initiative, employment has been provided to approximately 97.95 lakh people till date.
There has also been a remarkable increase in the remuneration paid to artisans, which has increased from Rs. 4 per hank in 2013-14 to the current rate of Rs. 15 per hank, marking an increase of approximately 275 per cent.
Empowering Artisans through Tool-Kit Distribution under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana
Under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana, so far 51,230 electric pottery wheels, 2,46,099 bee-boxes and bee colonies, 2,674 automatic and pedal-operated Agarbatti manufacturing machines, 7,669 footwear manufacturing and repair tool-kits, 836 paper plate and donamaking machines, 7,571 tool-kits for AC repair, mobile repair, tailoring, electricians, and plumbers; 5,138 machines for turnwood, wastewood crafts,and wooden toy making and 1,789 machines for palm jaggery, Oil Ghani extraction, and tamarind processing machines have been distributed. During the financial year 2025-26, 37,769 machines, toolkits, and equipment have been distributed under this scheme. A review of the last four years indicated that 21,874 units were distributed in 2022-23, 29,540 in FY 2023-24, 38,904 in FY 2024-25, and 37,769 machines and equipment in FY 2025-26. Thus, under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana, KVIC has so far distributed a total of 3,23,006 machines, toolkits, and equipment, thereby making a substantial contribution towards the realisation of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Promoting Women’s Empowerment through KVIC’s Efforts
KVIC has played a vital role in the sector of women’s empowerment as well. During the financial year 2025-26, 79,682 trainees received training under various KVIC training programs; notably, 47,382 of these trainees were women, accounting for approximately 59 percent of the total. Furthermore, under the PMEGP scheme, 28,180 women entrepreneurs established business units during 2025-26, thereby generating employment opportunities for 3,09,980 women, a statistic that emphasises the scheme’s significant role in promoting women’s entrepreneurship. With women establishing over 80 percent of the approximately 5,00,000 artisans in the Khadi sector, this domain serves as an effective vehicle for women-led economic empowerment.
Growth in Government Procurement, Exhibition Sales, and Demand for National Flags
Alongside, government procurement of Khadi and Village Industries products has increased to Rs. 92.08 crore, reflecting the sector’s growing acceptance and increasing institutional demand. Similarly, sales amounting to Rs. 30.83 crore were recorded through exhibitions and marketing initiatives for Khadi products, thereby reinforcing market expansion and consumer engagement. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in the sales of National Flags, rising from Rs. 0.87 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 2.35 crore in the financial year 2025-26. This growth emphasises the impact of mass campaigns such as ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ in the country, as well as the increasing public engagement with Khadi.
(Inputs based on the press release)
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