Dilip Guha, Sasraya News ★ New Delhi : On the occasion of the 77th Republic Day, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, organised a special ‘Chai Par Charcha’ programme on Saturday at its office premises at Rajghat, New Delhi. The programme was held in honour of artisans associated with KVIC and the Coir Board who had come from across the country to witness the grand Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path.
The event was graced by KVIC Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar as the Chief Guest. More than 300 artisans from various States and Union Territories, including a large number of women artisans, participated in the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Manoj Kumar reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, artisans have emerged as the strength of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the backbone of the rural economy, and active contributors to nation-building. He stated that visionary initiatives such as ‘Job Seeker to Job Creator’, ‘Vocal for Local’, ‘Local to Global’, and ‘Har Ghar Swadeshi’ have provided a new direction and momentum to the Khadi and Village Industries sector.
He said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, artisans have emerged as the strength of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
The Chairman highlighted that Khadi and Village Industries have evolved beyond being merely a means of livelihood and now represent a robust, enterprise-driven, market-linked ecosystem generating large-scale employment. Owing to reforms in production, marketing, design, innovation, and digital platforms, the sector’s annual turnover has surpassed ₹1.70 lakh crore, providing employment to over 2 crore people.
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Shri Kumar also noted the historic increase in wages of Khadi artisans, from ₹4 per hank to ₹15 per hank, as a reflection of the Government’s commitment to enhancing artisans’ income, dignity, and living standards. He urged artisans to maximise production over the next two months to help the sector cross the ₹2 lakh crore turnover target in the current financial year. He further assured that KVIC is actively working on a proposal to increase wages from ₹15 per hank to ₹20 per hank.
During the interaction, artisans from different states shared their experiences and spoke about how KVIC’s schemes and training programmes have enabled their economic empowerment, self-reliance, and social recognition. Women artisans, in particular, highlighted improvements in self-employment opportunities and self-confidence.
Senior officials from the Ministry of MSME, KVIC, representatives of Khadi institutions, artisans associated with the Coir Board, KVIC employees, and other dignitaries were present at the event. The programme aimed to honour artisans on Republic Day and facilitate direct dialogue between them and policymakers.
