Rajasthan to spend Rs 5.5 cr on khadi promotion

The Rajasthan government is going all out to a give a fillip to khadi units. A special promotional programme has been launched to give an impetus to the fabric and its products, for which Rs 5.5 crore has been earmarked.

The need to promote khadi was felt because in the past few years, there has been a decline in khadi production.

In 1996-97, the state produced khadi worth Rs 40 crore and as many as 100,000 weavers or their associates were involved in the production.

However, 2005-06 saw a slump and khadi worth Rs 28 crore was produced and the number of weavers and their associates decreased to 60,000. The Khadi and Gramudyog Board now is ready with a plan to improve quality and boost sales of woollen and cotton khadi fabric.

"The board has endeavoured to contact various state-of-the-art fashion designs institutions, fashion design consultants, marketing specialists, among others.

In this context, assistance has been sought from an internationally renowned fashion designer from Bangladesh, Bibi Russel, to provide guidance and inputs for creating a series of woollen and khadi fabrics and their readymade apparels," a Khadi Board official said.

A concerted effort is also being made to modernise old weaving and spinning wheels, for which these institutes are being provided working capital.

Besides this, plans to modernise at least 15 prominent khadi bhandars are also in the pipeline, the official added.