Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is captivated by a handloom saree at the South Zonal Level Exhibition at Freedom Park, Bengaluru on Saturday.
Credit: DH Photo/ S K Dinesh
Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), inaugurated the South Zonal Level Exhibition at the People’s Plaza, Freedom Park, Bengaluru on Saturday.
The 10-day exhibition organised by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the MSME features around 100 stalls showcasing products from Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), Khadi, Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), and various Village Industries. About 60 per cent of the exhibits were from PMEGP, and 40 percent were related to Khadi.
The exhibition featured stalls with Khadi products, handloom Ilkal sarees, pottery, and sculptures.
In her inaugural address, Minister of State for MSME Shobha Karandlaje emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to the nation to become ‘Vocal for Local’ by adopting local products. She highlighted that, in response to this vision, KVIC has launched initiatives like PMEGP, SFURTI, and GVY to provide self-employment opportunities for the country’s unemployed youth.
PC Mohan, MP from Central Bengaluru, urged the residents of Bengaluru to visit the Khadi Exhibition in large numbers and embrace indigenous products.
Manoj Kumar, Chairman of KVIC, speaking at the event, said that for the first time in independent India’s history, KVIC’s sales for the financial year 2023-24 surpassed Rs 1.55 lakh crore. “This unprecedented growth has also translated into significant job creation, generating over 10.17 lakh new employment opportunities in the sector,” he added.
Of the 100 stalls at the exhibition, around 70 percent were from Karnataka alone. Tamil Nadu had 4, Kerala 3, Andhra Pradesh 9 Telangana 5, Uttar Pradesh 3, and Maharashtra 1. 18 stalls were set up by traders in Bengaluru.