Why is it in the news?
Recently, KVIC opened first silk processing plant in Gujarat to boost production of signature Patola Saree
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
- It is a statutory body established under Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act,1956.
- Ministry: It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
- The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
- KVIC also helps in building up reserves of raw materials for supply to producers.
- The commission focuses on creation of common service facilities for processing of raw materials, such as semi finished goods.
- To improve the quality of Khadi products and to ensure their better acceptability for marketing, KVIC is implementing schemes like Market Promotion and Development Assistance (MPDA) Scheme, Khadi Reform and Development Programme (KRDP).
Objectives:
- The social objective of providing employment.
- The economic objective of producing saleable articles.
- The wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building up of a strong rural community spirit.
Some facts
What constitutes Khadi?
- Khadi means handspun and handwoven cloth. In 1918 Mahatma Gandhi started his movement for Khadi as a relief programme for the poor masses living in India’s villages. Spinning and weaving was elevated to an ideology for self-reliance and self government.
Defining village industries
- Village industry is any industry that is located within a rural area where the Fixed Capital Investment per Artisan (weaver) does not exceed 1 lakh rupees.
- The Fixed Capital Investment can be changed by the Government of India whenever it so requires.
REPLAN
- KVIC has started manufacturing plastic-mixed handmade paper under its project REPLAN (REducing PLAstic in Nature).
- It aims to make carry bags by mixing processed and treated plastic waste with cotton fibre rags in the ratio 20:80.
- The made paper is found to have good strength and durability.It can be used to make paper bags, fine tissues and other paper-based items.
