KVIC announces Khadi artisan wage increase as sector grows

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has announced a 20% wage increase for Khadi artisans, set to take effect from April 1, 2025. KVIC chairman Manoj Kumar made the announcement at a press conference held at the commission’s Rajghat office in New Delhi, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to support artisans in the sector.

Spinners, who currently receive Rs 12.50 per hank of yarn spun on the charkha, will see their wages rise to Rs 15 per hank, KVIC announced in a press release. This follows a previous wage hike in September 2024, when earnings were increased from Rs 10 to Rs 12.50 per hank. Over the past 11 years, the wages of Khadi artisans have risen by 275% under government initiatives.

Kumar stated that the Khadi sector has seen significant growth, with the production and sale of Khadi and Village Industries products expected to break previous records in the 2025 financial year. He noted that at the Maha Kumbh 2025 exhibition held in Prayagraj in conjunction with the religious festival, Khadi sales reached Rs 12.02 crore, with 98 Khadi stalls generating Rs 9.76 crore and 54 village industries stalls contributing Rs 2.26 crore.

KVIC has also launched fashion shows in cities including Nagpur, Pune, Vadodara, Chennai, Jaipur, and Prayagraj to promote ‘New Khadi of New India’ among younger consumers. “Khadi has become not just a fabric but the foundation of economic empowerment of rural India,” said Kumar, attributing its rise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Khadi Revolution.’