India’s first Khadi Plaza to come up in Ballari

Khadi and Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) president N R Krishnappa Gowda said the country’s first Khadi Plaza to provide a market for KVIC organisations under a single roof will come up in the city.

Addressing a press conference, he said Rs 10 crore will be spent on the development of the Khadi Plaza under the KVIC project. The KVIC would provide Rs 7.50 crore and the state’s grants of Rs 2.50 crore would also be used. “We have a provision to utilise the KVIC’s grants if the construction cost goes up,” he said.

He said only one Khadi Plaza would be constructed in the state. “We had a plan to construct it in either Bengaluru or Mysuru. It has been decided to construct it in Ballari as there was a lack of a site in those places. The Khadi Plaza will come up on one acre of land at Nallacheruvu. The district administration had given the land in 1996 to open the KVIC office and take up activities.”

Krishnappa Gowda said the KVIC’s advisers would stay in the city to conduct a survey on the demand for Khadi products in the region.

He said the online market system would be encouraged. “The customers can buy the products, available at different places, through the online market system,” he added.