A charkha spinning in a village once spoke of nationalism. Today, that spirit is taking new shape through a growing ecosystem of rural enterprises. Honey, herbal products, banana fibre, textiles and other village industries are creating new possibilities for traditional skills.
The spirit of self-reliance continues to resonate with the vision of Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Traditional skills and local resources are finding new markets through access to finance, technology and training.
This growing connection between local enterprise and consumers is also reflected in the Khadi Mahotsav. The Khadi Mahotsav takes place annually from 2 October to 31 October. With a particular focus on youth, the campaign sensitises them towards Khadi and “Vocal for Local” and encourages the public to buy Khadi and local products.
At the centre of this transformation is the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). It is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956. The Act mandates KVIC to plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist village industries. It covers measures related to training, raw materials, marketing, research, and quality improvement. It also supports skill development and research, while providing technical information and facilities related to Khadi and village industries.
In 2025–26, sales of Khadi and Village Industries products reached a historic ₹1.87lakh crore, the highest level recorded (as of May 2026). Compared with 2013–14, sales grew by 501%, while production increased by 380% to ₹1,25,296 crore. Employment in the sector increased by 56% to 2.04 crore. The remuneration paid to artisans has also increased. It rose from ₹4 per hank in 2013–14 to ₹15 per hank currently, an increase of approximately 275%.
From acquiring skills to accessing markets, a range of interventions is supporting artisans and village industries.
KVIC has a network of 35 departmental and non-departmental training centres. Training covers food products, bakery, beekeeping, agarbatti, candles, motor repairing and several other activities. During FY 2025-26, 79,682 trainees received training under various KVIC training programs.
Women constitute more than 80% of approximately five lakh artisans in the Khadi sector. In 2025–26, 47,382 women received training under various KVIC programmes, accounting for approximately 59% of all trainees.
Training is complemented by interventions including toolkit and equipment distribution, marketing support and other measures.
Since March 2008, the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has provided employment opportunities to nearly 97.95 lakh people through KVIC.
One such beneficiary is Jitendra Baitha, who established a bakery products manufacturing unit in Bihar in 2020. His venture has an annual turnover of ₹72 lakh and currently provides employment to 20 people, in the local community.