KVIC announces wage hike for khadi artisans on PM Modi's birthday
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 20 2024: On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday and completion of 100 days of Modi Government 3.0, Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, gave a big gift to lakhs of Khadi artisans in a programme organised at Asmavati Riverfront in Porbandar.

According to a release issued by KVIC, an increase of 25 percent in the wages of spinners and 7 percent in the wages of weavers has been announced.

The increased wages will be effective from October 2, 2024 on the birthday of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.

On this occasion, a 26 feet long and 13 feet wide stainless steel 'Memorial Charkha' installed on the Asmavati Riverfront was also unveiled.

During the programme, Manoj Kumar distributed Margin Money subsidy of Rs 101 crore into the accounts of 3911 beneficiaries under Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and also inaugurated 1100 new PMEGP units through video conferencing.

Speaking on the occasion, the KVIC Chairman said that the wages of spinners and weavers had been increased for the second time during his tenure.

"From October 2nd, 2024, spinners will get wages of Rs 12.50 per hank instead of Rs 10.Earlier, on April 1st, 2023, it was increased from Rs 7.50 to Rs 10 per hank", he added.

He further stated that the 'Khadi Kranti' under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi has brought about a big change in the lives of spinners and weavers.

"The Khadi turnover has surpassed Rs1.55 lakh crore in the last financial year.

In line with the PM's vision to extend benefits to Khadi family artisans, the Commission has decided to increase their wages", he added.

He also mentioned that there are approximately 3,000 registered Khadi institutions across the country, through which 4.98 lakh Khadi artisans are employed, out of these about 80 percent are women.

"The increased wages will give them new economic strength.

Till now the wages have been increased by around 213 percent under the Modi government, which is a symbol of the fact that rural India is getting economically empowered through Khadi", he asserted.

Later, the KVIC Chairman unveiled a commemorative charkha made of stainless steel at Asmavati Riverfront on the lines of the monumental charkha installed at Delhi International Airport.

Earlier on September 12, a similar charkha was unveiled at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of the PM.

Representatives of Khadi institutions associated with the KVIC State Office in Gujarat, along with Khadi workers, artisans, and KVIC officers and employees, were present at the programme.

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