Khadi and Village Industries Commission Inaugurates National-level Khadi Exhibition At Mahakumbh 2025

Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Manoj Kumar, inaugurated the National-level Khadi Exhibition at the Mahakumbh, on Friday, at Sector-1, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, in Kumbh Nagri, Prayagraj. Dignitaries present on the occasion included MLA (Prayagraj North), Harsh Vardhan Vajpayee and Mayor Ganesh Kesarwani, among others. The exhibition will be held in Prayagraj till 26th February, and will showcase a total of 152 stalls, with 98 stalls displaying Khadi products and 54 stalls with products from village industries.

While addressing the gathering during the inauguration, KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar said that Mahakumbh is not only a festival of faith but also a symbol of Indian culture, tradition, and self-reliance. Khadi, which became a symbol of Atmanirbharta and Swadeshi under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, has now, through the ‘Charkha Kranti’ under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, become the identity of a self-reliant India. He further stated that Khadi and village industries are reaching new heights under the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion, Khadi for Transformation’.

The exhibition features products from more than 20 States across India, including items from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra to Nagaland. The Chairman urged the pilgrims and visitors to visit the Khadi exhibition and embrace indigenous products, thereby promoting the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative.

Manoj Kumar highlighted the progress made in the past 10 years in Khadi and Village Industries:

• Growth in Production: The production of Khadi and Village Industries has increased from Rs. 26,000 crores to Rs. 1 lakh crores.
• Surge in Sales: Sales of Khadi and Village Industries products have increased from Rs. 31,000 crores to Rs. 1.55 lakh crores.
• Job Creation: Employment opportunities have increased by 43.65%, benefiting 1.87 crore people. In the last financial year, 10.17 lakh new jobs were created.
• Increase in Craftsmen’s Earnings: The earnings of Khadi artisans have risen by 213%, increasing from Rs. 4 to Rs. 12.50 per ‘lachha’(thread bundle).

The Chairman also mentioned that more than 1.4 lakh artisans are employed through over 450 Khadi institutions in Uttar Pradesh. In this financial year, over Rs. 15 crore in MMDA and more than Rs. 4 crore in ISEC have been disbursed in the State. He also noted that under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana, 1,550 beneficiaries received tools and equipment last year, with a target of 1,850 beneficiaries this year. Under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), subsidies worth Rs. 137 crore were disbursed in Uttar Pradesh till December, leading to the creation of 38,588 new jobs.

Manoj Kumar praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the ‘Khadi Revolution’ has played a significant role in strengthening India’s rural economy. He also appreciated the grand organization of the Kumbh under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath and the efforts to make Prayagraj a global spiritual hub. He urged all devotees to contribute to the self-reliant India journey by embracing Khadi products, describing the exhibition as a live example of Indian self-reliance and culture.

The inauguration was attended by representatives from Khadi institutions, PMEGP beneficiaries, Khadi workers, and officials from the Uttar Pradesh government and KVIC.