Trend towards Swadeshi is growing rapidly among the country men: PM

New Delhi, Oct 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today celebrated a remarkable milestone in Khadi sales, highlighting a strong shift towards Swadeshi products among the Indian population. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister praised the achievement, stating that the turnover of Khadi and Village Industries had crossed Rs 1.50 lakh crore for the financial year 2023-24.

Sharing his thoughts on the record-breaking sales, PM Modi tweeted, "A very encouraging achievement! This new record of Khadi sales shows how rapidly the trend towards Swadeshi is growing among the countrymen. I am happy that this feeling has also helped in making the lives of our artisan brothers and sisters associated with Khadi easier."

Khadi India, through its official Twitter handle, also praised the Prime Minister's leadership and the impact of his consistent call for supporting local industries. The organisation attributed the surge in Khadi sales to PM Modi’s appeal in his popular radio program, Mann Ki Baat, where he urged citizens to buy indigenous products.

“@narendramodi ji has created another record. Due to his appeal to buy indigenous and local products in 'Mann Ki Baat', Khadi products worth ₹2 crore 1 lakh 37 thousand were sold in just one day at the flagship Khadi Bhawan in Connaught Place, New Delhi, on the day of Gandhi Jayanti,” Khadi India tweeted. “This sale will bring a big change in the lives of Khadi artisans. The 'Charkha Revolution' that started 10 years ago has now become the 'guarantee of a developed India.'”

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), which operates under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), provided further details about the sales surge. The commission revealed that for the first time, the turnover of Khadi Village Industries crossed ₹1.50 lakh crore, reaching ₹1,55,673 crore in 2023-24. This represents a 399.69% increase in Khadi sales since 2013-14.

“The leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and his 'brand power' have taken Pujya Bapu’s legacy #Khadi to new heights of popularity in the last 10 years,” KVIC said in a statement. “The hard work of lakhs of artisans from rural India has given new energy to the 'Vishkashit Bharat Yatra' (Developed India Journey) being led by the Prime Minister.”

The government’s efforts to revive and promote Khadi products, coupled with the rising interest among citizens to embrace Khadi, have contributed significantly to the resurgence of Khadi cloth as a symbol of national pride, fashion trend and self-reliance.

With record-breaking sales, Khadi continues to play a vital role in empowering rural artisans, bolstering local economies, and promoting sustainable practices, reinforcing its importance in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation.