JOIN US Khadi Utsav - 2017, a national-level exhibition of Khadi and hand-made products, will be organised by Karnataka Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) from April 24 to May 23 at Freedom Park here.
As many as 230 stalls will sell khadi and other village industry products of which 79 are from 17 states and 61 from Karnataka. The festival will feature several varieties of khadi, including silk, wool and polyester, apart from cotton.
KVIB chairman Yeluvanahalli N Ramesh said though khadi and village industries were producing some of the best products that are also eco-friendly, they lack a marketing platform. “The previous fests have received very positive response. The business at the month-long fest has grown from Rs 17 crore in 2014 to Rs 25 crore in 2016,” he said.
Last year, 1.25 lakh people visited the spot and the KVIB hopes to see more people this time. “The National Institute of Fashion Technology has suggested 400 modern designs for the khadi clothes. We will soon bring out these clothes to the market to attract youngsters and encourage them to wear khadi,” KVIB CEO Ramesh Raju said.
The event will also feature live demonstration of making of khadi clothes and other products made with subsidy from KVIB.
Khadi shopping complexes
KVIB Chairman Y N Ramesh said the board will soon set up two shopping complexes, one each in Belagavi and Bengaluru to sell khadi and handmade products. “Each of the 10,000 sqft facilities will come up at a cost of Rs 10 crore,” he added.