Manifold rise in Khadi India sales following Prime Minister's push through 'Mann ki Baat'
New Delhi: The sale of Khadi products across the country has grown tremendously since 2014, thanks to the repeated appeals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote Khadi. Since October 2016, the single-day sale at Khadi India's Flagship Outlet in Connaught Place, New Delhi, has crossed Rs 1 crore mark on 11 different occasions. This record performance of Khadi found a special mention in the latest episode of Prime Minister's radio program "Mann ki Baat" aired on Sunday, 25th July.
What makes this performance even more significant is the fact that Khadi's single-day sales exceeded Rs 1 crore for 4 times in October - November 2020, despite the economic distress and the fear surrounding Coronavirus pandemic. Earlier in 2018 also, the single-day sales at Khadi's CP outlet had crossed Rs 1 crore mark for 4 times. On October 2, 2019, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) registered the highest single-day sale of Rs 1.27 crore at the CP outlet which continues to be a record till date. It was for the first time on October 22, 2016, that the single day sale at Khadi India outlet in CP had reached Rs 1.16 crore. Earlier, the highest single day sale of Khadi stood at Rs 66.81 lakh that was recorded on October 4, 2014, just a day after the PM's first address through "Mann ki Baat". In the first episode of his radio program, the PM had appealed the countrymen to buy at least one Khadi product as it would help poor artisans to light lamps on Diwali.
KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the growth in Khadi sales to the constant support of the Prime Minister to promote Khadi. "It is because of the PM's appeals that a large number of people particularly youths have been inclined to buy Khadi. The growing buzz around "Swadeshi" has significantly helped lakhs of village industries prosper even during the challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic," he said. It is pertinent to mention that despite the severe impact of Covid, KVIC, in 2020-21, registered its highest ever annual turnover of Rs 95,741.74 crore, as compared to Rs 88,887 crore turnover in 2019-20, and thus registering a growth of 7.71 per cent.
