Khadi mark to guarantee purity

Like Woolmark and silkmark, the ‘Khadi mark’ will soon testify India’s handmade products particularly

textiles to guarantee their purity and genuineness. A time-bound priority is being given to develop Khadi mark as an authentic mark and existing khadi certification regulations are being revised to provide for this mark.

There will be independent third party validation for genuineness, for issuing and renewal of ‘Khadi mark’, an official statement said without mentioning by when the mark will be operational in the country. As part of the efforts to encourage khadi production in the 12th Five Year Plan beginning April this year, 951 khadi village industries clusters will be set up with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crores.

Under the Prime Minister’s employment generation programme, four lakh micro enterprises will be set up in the country during the five-year period beginning April this year, with an outlay of Rs 9,700 crore and this is expected to create employment opportunities for 32 lakh persons in the rural areas.

To realise the growth potential of the KVI sector, it is necessary that production, value addition and sales grow sustainably. A growth of 11 per cent has been envisaged for khadi and 13 per cent for village industries in the 12th five-year plan. Value addition has been taken as a major thrust area in order to make khadi activities attractive and economically viable. KVIC had set an objective of achieving 70 per cent value addition.