New Delhi, July 30 (KNN) The wages of Khadi artisans are not strictly comparable to minimum daily wages as the artisans associated with Khadi Institutions are self-employed persons and are paid on piece rate basis, Minister of State, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Giriraj Singh said.
 
“Khadi spinning and weaving is a subsidiary activity. The artisans associated with Khadi Institutions are self-employed persons. They operate charkha/looms depending upon the free time available to them. The artisans are paid on piece rate basis i.e. number of hanks of yarn spun and meters of cloth woven,” Singh said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha here today.
 
Hence, the wages of Khadi artisans are not strictly comparable to minimum daily wages, he added. 

Khadi spinning is mostly a subsidiary activity which is performed by Khadi artisans in their spare time.
 
“It is noticed that Khadi weavers are able to earn wages comparable to daily wages if they perform the activity for 8 hours. MDA is allowed @ 20 per cent on cost of production of Khadi (Cotton, Silk, and Woolen) and Polyvastra to the extent of production target approved by the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) of KVIC for the year,” Singh noted.
 
 As per MDA Guidelines, 25 per cent of total MDA amount is passed on to the spinners and weavers in the form of incentive or ‘bonus’ through their bank or post office accounts, in addition to their normal earnings. It is observed that the amount works out to be 15 per cent of the average earning of the artisans. Hence, it is not feasible to link release of MDA with minimum daily wages, he added.
 
Further, KVIC has advised Khadi Institutions to adopt market oriented pricing so as to increase the earning opportunities of the artisans. (KNN Bureau)