Treat Khadi as national fabric, promote it: VP Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has appealed to celebrities, educational institutions and citizens to treat khadi as national fabric and promote its use extensively.
Speaking at the launch of 'Khadi India Quiz Contest', organised as part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today appealed to the citizens to treat Khadi as 'national fabric' and promote its use extensively.
He also called upon celebrities from various fields to come forward and promote the use of Khadi in a big way.
Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Narayan Rane, Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Khadi & Village Industries Commission, Secretary, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri BB Swain and others were present during the event.
Urging everyone to take part in the 'Khadi India Quiz Contest', he said,
“The contest was an interesting way of taking us back to our roots as it recollects the historic moments of our freedom struggle and the unparalleled contribution of our great freedom fighters.”
He said that our freedom struggle was a journey of resilience and hope “which inspires us to keep moving no matter how adverse the situation gets”. He said that there was much to learn from our freedom fighters, especially the spirit of keeping the interests of our motherland ahead of everything else.
Shri Naidu expressed his happiness over the phenomenal turnaround of Khadi in the last seven years and lauded the government, KVIC and all the stakeholders for accelerating its growth.
"I am happy to note that KVIC has succeeded in establishing a pan-India reach and has connected people with sustainable self-employment activities even in the remotest corners of the country," he added.
The Vice President recalled the historical relevance of Khadi and said it was a binding force for the masses during the freedom movement. He also mentioned how Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1918 started the Khadi movement to generate a source of income for the poverty-stricken masses and later turned it into a powerful symbolic tool against foreign rule.
Referring to the environmental benefits of Khadi, the Vice President mentioned that Khadi has zero carbon footprint as it does not require electricity or any kind of fuel for its manufacturing.
He said, "At a time when the world is looking for sustainable alternatives in clothing, it should be remembered that Khadi as an eco-friendly and sustainable fabric certainly meets the requirement."
The Vice President called upon educational institutions to explore using Khadi for uniforms. He said that it will not only give students an opportunity to experience the many benefits of Khadi but will also help them connect with our great freedom fighters and freedom movement. "Due to its porous texture, Khadi is eminently suitable for our local climatic conditions," he added. He appealed to the youth to make Khadi a fashion statement and promote its use among everyone with passion.
The Indian government has been taking steps to uplift this industry.
Last year, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari urged retail giant Walmart to work with KVIC to take their products, including khadi denim, to global markets. He also launched India's first-ever Khadi fabric footwear.
Edited by Anju Narayanan