With a view to promote khadi and khadi made products, Minister of State for MSME launched Khadi store locator app under the 9th National Board of Khadhi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) today.

Addressing the media, Giriraj Singh said that the Khadi for Nation, Khadi for fashion and now the Khadi for transformation will create huge opportunities for employment generation.

He said that, with the launch of app people now can locate the nearest khadi stores easily.

Not only this, he said that we have decided to get associated with Big Bazar chains and soon we will create a model of employment led villages under which 400 villages in first phase and 400 villages in second phase, a total of 800 villages that will generate 4 lakhs of employment every year.

Also, he said that the new opportunities of employment will emerge when khadi and village industry combine together.

In coming years, Khadi will soon become a base for employment generation, he added.

Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman KVIC said that there are more than 8,000 Khadi stores in India and rest of the stores will also be available on the store locater by the end of this month.

The Chairman further said that KVIC expects to surpass the sales target of Rs. 5,000 crore by the end of 2017-18.

In order to make khadi an international brand, KVIC is also setting up export cells to promote overseas sales of Khadi products.

The Khadi and Village Industries products are manufactured by about 7 lakh privately owned household units which are funded through schemes like the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP). (KNN/YV)