Khadi to employ 5 crore Indians by 2022: Giriraj Singh

India has decided to harness solar energy to power 'charkhas' (spinning wheels) across the country to revive the hand-spun khadi industry and provide employment to approximately five crore people throughout the nation by the year 2022.

"We have made a plan to introduce solar run spinning wheels in KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) so that it can provide employment to five crore people throughout the nation by the year 2022. Prime Minister has also said this in 'Maan Ki Baat'. I have discussed this with the Chairman of KVIC and we shall work together so that the locals get employment and shall work on that," said Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) on his two-day visit to the state.

The minister visited centres run by the KVIC and discussed with officials and board members ways to revive hand-spun khadi so that it could be turned into a zero-carbon footprint green fabric of India.

Singh said solar charkhas will make khadi the green organic yarn which does not hurt the environment, able to create more jobs and make khadi competitive in terms of reducing the cost of yarn and production.

Singh informed that to revive khadi, fashion designers are being made involved for launching eco and user-friendly, designer, green fabric products to be made available in various showrooms and also sell through e-marketing.

Moreover, he added that there are more than 7000 showrooms of the KVIC which can be used for sell points of khadi products and to make them cost effective.

Singh said that his vision of reviving khadi industry is multipronged and through application of science of green energy to the spinning wheel there can be a new revolution by creating employment in the rural areas and which can bring in social and economic changes.