Team News Riveting
New Delhi, November 16
Overcoming the economic distress and the fear surrounding Corona pandemic, this festive season has yielded great dividends to the Khadi artisans with a record sale of Khadi products.
In just 40 days since October 2, Khadi’s single-day sales figure has crossed Rs 1 crore mark for 4 times at the flagship Khadi India outlet at Connaught Place in New Delhi.
On November 13, the total sale at this outlet stood at Rs 1.11 crore, the highest single-day sale figure recorded this year. Ever since the business activities resumed after the lockdown, Khadi sales figure touched Rs 1.02 crore mark on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) this year followed by Rs 1.05 crore sales on October 24 and Rs 1.06 crore on November 7.
Earlier in 2018, the single-day sale had also crossed the Rs 1 crore mark on 4 occasions with the highest single-day sale for the year touching Rs 1.25 crore on October 13. Khadi’s highest ever single-day sale was recorded at Rs 1.27 crore on October 2, 2019. Notably, before 2016 Khadi’s single day sale had never crossed the Rs 1 crore mark. On October 22, 2016, the single day sale at Khadi India outlet in CP had reached Rs 116.13 crore.
KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the massive sale figures to the frequent appeals of the Prime Minister to promote “Swadeshi”, particularly Khadi. “It is heartening to see a large number of Khadi lovers coming out to support artisans who form the backbone of the Khadi and Village Industries sectors. Despite the pandemic, Khadi artisans kept the production activities going in full vigor and the fellow countrymen have reciprocated with the same zeal,” Saxena said, adding despite the economic slowdown, KVIC has managed to maintain the pace of Khadi’s growth.
The tremendous sale of Khadi products this year assumes greater significance. While almost all activities were suspended during the Covid-19 lockdown, KVIC continued with its diverse activities across the country that includes the manufacturing of face masks and personal hygiene products like hand wash and hand sanitizers apart from a vast range of fabric and village industries products. The lockdown had a severe bearing on the livelihood of Khadi artisans but the Prime Minister’s appeal for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” and “Vocal for Local” infused a new life into the local manufacturing particularly the Khadi and Village Industries sectors.
