New Delhi:  The sale of Khadi products across the country has grown tremendously since 2014, thanks to the repeated appeals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote Khadi. Since October 2016, the single-day sale at Khadi India’s flagship outlet in Connaught Place, New Delhi, has crossed Rs 1 crore mark on 11 different occasions. This record performance of Khadi found a special mention in the latest episode of the Prime Minister’s radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’ aired on Sunday, July 25.

What makes this performance even more significant is the fact that Khadi’s single-day sale exceeded Rs 1 crore for four times in October-November 2020, despite the economic distress and the fear surrounding the corona pandemic. Earlier in 2018 also, the single-day sale at Khadi’s CP outlet had crossed Rs 1 crore mark for four times. On October 2, 2019, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) registered the highest single-day sale of Rs 1.27 crore at the CP outlet which continues to be a record till date.

It was for the first time on October 22, 2016, that the single day sale at Khadi India outlet in the CP had reached Rs 1.16 crore. Earlier, the highest single day sale of Khadi stood at Rs 66.81 lakh that was recorded on October 4, 2014, just a day after the Prime Minister’s first address through ‘Mann Ki Baat.’ In the first episode of his radio program, the PM had appealed to the countrymen to buy at least one Khadi product as it would help poor artisans to light lamps on Diwali.

KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the growth in Khadi sales to the constant support of the Prime Minister to promote Khadi. He said: “It is because of the PM’s appeals that a large number of people, particularly youths have been inclined to buy Khadi. The growing buzz around ‘Swadeshi’ has significantly helped lakhs of village industries prosper even during the challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic. /BI/