(a) whether the Government is taking any steps to upgrade the Khadi sale centres
and Gandhi Ashrams for promotion of khadi products in the country; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
(a) whether the Government is taking any steps to upgrade the Khadi sale centres
and Gandhi Ashrams for promotion of khadi products in the country; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI VIRBHADRA SINGH)
(a) & (b): The steps undertaken by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises through Khadi
and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to upgrade the Khadi sale centres including those run by
Gandhi Ashrams include (i) introduction of a scheme ‘Strengthening Infrastructure of Existing Weak
Khadi Institutions and Assistance for Marketing Infrastructure’ for renovation of 30 khadi sales
outlets and providing assistance for strengthening infrastructure of existing 100 weak selected
institutions, (ii) arranging financial assistance to the tune of US $ 150 million (around Rs 700
crore) from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement Khadi Reforms and Development Programme
(KRDP) through 300 tentatively selected khadi institutions over a period of three years from
2009-10, which inter alia, provides for opening of new sales outlets in metropolitan cities
and state capitals and renovation and modernization of institutional sales outlets, with professional
support made available through a Marketing Organization set up in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.