Khadi outlets to soon sell products made by prison inmates

Products made by inmates of Tihar and other jails will soon be on the shelves of Khadi outlets across the country.
"We believe that providing a sales platform to products made in prisons will result in individual transformation and social inclusivity upon their remission.
"We will start selling products made by inmates in Tihar and Gurgaon jails in Khadi outlets. Going forward, we will also sell products sourced from other jails," Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman V K Saxena told PTI.
The products may include ready-made garments, handloom, home furnishings, blankets, stationery items and furniture items.
The decision was taken at the meeting of KVIC at Sabarmati Ashram on February 27.

The KVIC top brass also decided to increase the wages of spinners and revive defunct Khadi institutions to cater to the increased demand for the indigenous fabric.

"We have decided to increase the remuneration per hank from the existing Rs 5.50 to Rs 7.00 with effect from 1 April 2017," Saxena said.
KVIC will enforce the wage increase through all Khadi institutions alike and recommend withholding of MDA (Market Development Assistance) to those institutions that do not implement the decision.
Saxena said the Commission also took a decision to revive defunct Khadi institutions and individuals involved with State Directorates will be given incentives for their revival efforts.

"KVIC is now faced with an immediate requirement to increase Khadi production in the country, owing to the vision of the Prime Minister that the production needs to be increased from its current level of Rs 1,065 crore to Rs 5,000 crore in two years," Saxena said.
"Upon an assessment of the competitive success secured by involved individuals of State Directorates, the Commission may also decide to award salary increment(s) and/or other forms of appropriate incentives," he added.