KVIC Announces Wage Hike for Khadi Artisans on Gandhi Jayanti

On the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, extended Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for the welfare of the poor by announcing a significant wage hike for Khadi artisans across the country. Spinners who spin yarn on the charkha will see a 25% increase in their wages, while weavers who work on the loom will receive a 7% hike. Additionally, a special discount of 20% on Khadi products and 10% on Village Industries products has been launched at the flagship Khadi Bhavan in Connaught Place, New Delhi, as well as across the country.

To commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Union Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Shri J.P. Nadda, and Union MSME Minister Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi, Minister of State for MSME and Labour & Employment Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, along with KVIC Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar and several other dignitaries, shopped at the Khadi Bhavan on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, officially launching the special discount campaign. Shri J.P. Nadda purchased fabric for a Khadi kurta and Village Industries products, making the payment online. Addressing the media, Shri Nadda appealed to citizens to buy Khadi products. 

Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi also urged people through the media to adopt Khadi and indigenous products and become a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign.

Speaking at the event, KVIC Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar reiterated Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “I see God in every thread spun on the charkha.” Embracing this philosophy, KVIC has been weaving the fabric of welfare for the poor through the "Charkha Revolution." 

On September 17, 2024, in a ceremony held at Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace, Porbandar, on the occasion of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s birthday, the announcement of a 25% wage hike for spinners and a 7% increase for weavers was made. The revised wages came into effect on October 2, 2024, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Shri Kumar explained that spinners who previously earned ₹10 per hank would now receive ₹12.50, an increase of ₹2.50 per hank. He highlighted that this is the second time in his tenure that the wages of spinners and weavers have been increased; the last hike was on April 1, 2023, when wages were raised from ₹7.50 to ₹10 per hank.

Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar credited Prime Minister Modi's leadership for transforming the lives of spinners and weavers through the 'Khadi Revolution.' The Khadi sector’s business crossed ₹1.55 lakh crore in the last fiscal year, and to ensure the benefits reach Khadi artisans, KVIC has decided to increase wages. Shri Kumar added that there are approximately 3,000 registered Khadi institutions across the country employing around 4.98 lakh Khadi artisans, of which nearly 80% are women. The increased wages will empower these artisans economically. Shri Kumar emphasized that during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure over the past decade, wages have increased by nearly 213%, symbolizing the economic empowerment of rural India through Khadi.

In his address to the media, Shri Manoj Kumar announced the launch of a special discount campaign across the country, including at the flagship Khadi showroom in Connaught Place, New Delhi. The discount campaign will run from October 2 to November 30, 2024, offering a 20% discount on Khadi products and a 10% discount on Village Industries products. 

Chairman emphasized on following our Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal in his popular 'Mann Ki Baat' program, the Khadi Bhavan in Connaught Place has set a new sales record every year on Gandhi Jayanti for the past decade. Sales on Gandhi Jayanti have consistently surpassed ₹1 crore over the last three years, with ₹1.01 crore in 2021-22, ₹1.34 crore in 2022-23, and ₹1.52 crore in 2023-24. These figures highlight how Khadi, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, has become the flagship of the 'Vocal for Local' and 'Made in India' movements, symbolizing the rise of a 'New India’s New Khadi.'