Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Khadi & Village Industries, Sericulture, Handloom, and Textile Industry, Rakesh Sachan, chaired a review meeting on Wednesday at the Khadi Bhawan Auditorium in Lucknow. The meeting focused on the evaluation of various schemes run by the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board.
Emphasising the need to connect Khadi with the masses, Minister Sachan directed officials to undertake extensive promotion and effective branding of Khadi products. “A comprehensive strategy must be prepared to boost the popularity and market outreach of Khadi in the state,” he said.
He also laid stress on the regular monitoring of Khadi showrooms across districts, calling for immediate corrective action wherever needed. Branding of Khadi-related products should be treated as a mission, he asserted.
During the meeting, the minister instructed the officials to prepare an updated inventory of all departmental properties and present a clear report. Additionally, he sought detailed reports on the current status of land and buildings used by affiliated institutions and committees for Khadi production and sales. A similar review was instructed for the status of Khadi sales centres across the state.
Minister Sachan also proposed the development of employment-oriented action plans on Khadi land, aimed at creating self-employment opportunities for local youth. He stressed the importance of ensuring adequate supply of raw materials to boost Khadi production.
In a bid to further expand the market for Khadi, he instructed officials to initiate necessary provisions in government orders to mandate the sale of Khadi products in government departments. Additionally, he directed that high-quality blankets produced by Khadi factories be included as part of the government’s disaster relief supplies.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Anil Sagar, Chief Executive Officer Shishir, and other senior departmental officials. The session concluded with a call for mission-mode implementation of key initiatives to rejuvenate and rebrand Khadi as a modern, sustainable, and employment-generating sector.
