Manufacturing and wearing of khadi coming down regrets MP

Mysuru: Khadi Utsav-2017 organised  by the Karnataka State Khadi and Village Industries Board at J.K. Grounds was inaugurated yesterday. The utsav will be on till December 4.

MP R. Dhruvanarayan speaking after inaugurating the Utsav said that to encourage production of Khadi, Mahatama Gandhi gave a call to people to wear Khadi clothes. This spurred the people to wear it during freedom movement. However, gradually manufacturing and wearing of khadi clothes came down, he regretted.

Earlier, politicians, Members of Parliament and Legislators were wearing khadi and Gandhi caps. These days the number of politicians wearing khadi has dwindled. However, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has become a role model. To encourage khadi industry, he has sanctioned more funds in the budget,  said Dhurvanarayan.

“Ours is a predominantly agrarian country. We cultivate food and cotton. Hence, if we produce khadi cloth it will benefit the farmers and added to this employment can be generated. Earlier, in every village people were weaving cloth. This has come down over time. A state-wide movement to promote Khadi is required. In my constituency for the development of Badanaval Rs.45 lakh has been granted,” he said.

Zilla Panchayat President Nayeema Sultana Nazeer Ahmed, Karnataka State Khadi and Village Industries Board Chairman Yellanahalli N.Ramesh, Chief Executive Officer Jaivibhavi Swamy, CADA Chairman H.N. Nanjappa, Mysore Paints and Varnish Chairman H.A. Venkatesh, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman B. Siddaraju, Zoo Authority of Karnataka Chairperson Mallige Veeresh, Karnataka Vishwakarma Development Board’s N. Nandakumar, Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, Khadi Exhibition Committee President Latha Mohan, former Zilla Panchayat President Dr. B. Pushpa Amarnath, Nandini Chandrashekar and others were present.