Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the MSME Ministry, has increased wages for Khadi artisans. Spinners who spin yarn on the charkha will get a 25 per cent increase in their wages while weavers who work on the loom will receive a 7 per cent hike, the ministry said in a statement. The hike was implemented on October 2 and announced on September 17, 2024 on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Spinners who previously earned Rs 10 per hank would now receive Rs 12.50, an increase of Rs 2.50 per hank, said Kumar highlighting that this is the second time in his tenure that the wages of spinners and weavers have been increased.
The previous increase was in April 2023, when wages were raised from Rs 7.50 to Rs 10 per hank.
KVIC sales had increased to Rs 1.55 lakh crore in FY24 from Rs 1.34 lakh crore in FY23 and Rs 33,135 crore in FY15.
“There are approximately 3,000 registered Khadi institutions across the country employing around 4.98 lakh Khadi artisans, of which nearly 80% are women. The increased wages will empower these artisans economically,” Kumar said.
MSME Ministry through KVIC has multiple schemes under the Khadi Vikas Yojana by providing financial assistance to khadi artisans such as Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA). Under the scheme, 35 per cent of the assistance is provided to artisans.
During FY24, financial assistance worth Rs 113.15 crore was provided under the scheme in comparison to Rs 75.78 crore assistance in FY23, according to the data shared on July 25, 2024 by the MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Moreover, under the Workshed Scheme for Khadi Artisans, financial assistance up to Rs 1.2 lakh or 75 per cent of the total cost of the workshed is provided to artisans for the construction of individual workshed.
According to the data shared in the Lok Sabha by Manjhi, Rs 92 lakh in finance assistance was offered to artisans under the scheme in FY24 in comparison to Rs 11.12 crore in FY23.