‘Rama Rajya,’ a dream of Mahatma Gandhiji can be a reality when villagers achieve self reliance. It is possible through Khadi and Village Employment, if leaders motivate general public towards Khadi and Village Employment, opined Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat President K T Shailaja Bhat. 
Speaking after inaugurating ‘Khadi Utsava- 2012,’ a 10-day exhibition and sales of Khadi products organised by Karnataka State Khadi and Village Employment Board, State Industry and Trade Department at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavana in Pandeshwara on Friday, she said such expo can be organised at taluk-level as the people in coastal region have passion towards Khadi.
Central Zone Khadi and Village Employment Commission President Indrajit Vikram Singh said that the 10-day expo is likely to generate a turn over of Rs 1 crore.
Stressing the need to popularise village products, Kalkura Foundation President Pradeep Kumar Kalkura said that when a village employee gets international price for his product, he would never like to change his profession.
District Industrial Centre Joint Director S G Hegade, State Khadi and Village Industries Deputy Director Somappa Nayka, KVI Development Officer Jyothi were present.
52 shops
As many as 52 units including that from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and all over Karnataka have opened shops in the expo, said Dakshina Kannada Khadi and Village Employment Officer U Veerappa Poojari.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Eranna of Gadag Khadi Workers’ Cooperative Society opined that it is worth visiting Mangalore though it is 450 kms away from Gadag. “We produce khadi products like bedsheets, towels etc in Gadag and sell in different parts of the State,” he said.
Sunandamma of ‘Shankari Mahila Swasahaya Sangha’ was busy selling cotton and silk sarees. “We manufacture sarees in our homes with the help of six labourers. These cost anywhere between Rs 500 and Rs 1000,” she said. Other than cloths, the expo is offering food products, leather materials and tiny fashionable wooden products to the customers. The expo will end on March 4.
Guests remain absent
According to the ‘Khadi Utsav- 2012’ invitation, State Assembly Deputy Speaker Yogish Bhat had to preside over the inaugural function while Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangalore North MLA J Krishna Palemar, Belthangadi MLA K Vasanth Bangera, Bantwala MLA B Ramanath Rai, Moodbidri MLA K Abhaychandra Jain, Sullia MLA S Angara, Mangalore South MLA U T Khadar, Mangalore City Corporation Mayor Praveen, ZP CEO Dr N Vijayaprakash, Coastal Development Authority President Nagaraj Shetty and many others had to participate as guests, none of them took part in the programme!
