‘Khadi artisans’ wages to rise 20% from April’

New Delhi: The wages of Khadi artisans will be increased by 20 per cent from April 1 this year, Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman Manoj Kumar said on Tuesday.

Presently, spinners get Rs 12.50 for spinning per hank on the charkha, which will be increased by Rs 2.50 from April 1, 2025. As per the increased rate, they will get Rs 15 per hank spun.

The KVIC Chairman also informed that there has been a historic increase in the sale of Khadi and Village Industry products in the last 10 years.

“The sale of Khadi and Village Industry products increased 5 times, from Rs 31,000 crore to Rs 1,55,000 crore in the financial year 2023-24.

The sale of Khadi clothes increased 6 times i.e. from Rs 1,081 crore to Rs 6,496 crore in FY 2023-24.

“In all, 10.17 lakh new persons got employment in FY 2023-24. He further said that according to the data received so far, a new record of production and sales will be created in FY 2024-25,” a KVIC statement quoted its chairman as saying.

He also informed that during the past 10 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Khadi revolution has brought about a comprehensive change in the lives of artisans. The government has made a historic increase in the income of spinners and weavers.

Earlier, on September 17, 2024, on the birthday of the Prime Minister, the wages of artisans were increased by 25 per cent.

In the last 11 years, the Modi government has made a historic increase of 275 per cent in the wages of Khadi artisans, the KVIC Chairman said.

He further informed that in the financial year 2024-25, the production and sale of Khadi and Village Industries products will break all previous records.

Besides, Kumar said khadi products worth over Rs 12 crore were sold during the recently concluded Mahakumbh.