When tribal women rock on the ramp

Indore: In a move to multiply production, sale and employment, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), through its Sahyog Programme on Saturday here, had given 45 Charkhas to tribal women at Omkareshwar to start Khadi activities in the Narmada valley areas of Madhya Pradesh. And, when the tribal women were rocking on the Ramp walk after the inaugural function, it left all the audience spellbound with their confidence.

After inaugurating the centre, KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that it is a new beginning in Narmada valley and KVIC would provide looms and more Charkhas to create more employment in remote areas. "Our priorities have always been to create maximum number of jobs for the womenfolk of Narmada valley areas. In my last visit to Onkareshwar, I had promised to open a Khadi production centre – to provide better job opportunities for the women of this area. And, today the new centre is equipped with 45 charkhas and 60 trained artisans, with adequate training and remuneration. Malwa Bheel Sewak Sangh, a financially-aided institution of KVIC, has been assigned to run this centre. "We are trying to engage the youths in this sector for formation and innovation of Khadi institutions, besides implementing the target and incentives relating to Khadi production set by the Ministry."

Comparing women artisans as the spinal cord of the Khadi industry, Mr Saxena further said that it was the sheer determination of the women artisans that Khadi had been achieving new milestones every day. "The all 45 women artisans, after imparting proper training, have virtually become a role model for the other tribal women. Keeping in mind the continuous demand of more charkhas, we have asked the running agency to increase the capacity of Charkhas to 100, which will soon be done," he said.