Varanasi has emerged as a hub of Khadi: Union minister Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma

Union minister of State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma said that Varanasi has emerged as the hub of Khadi activities in the past few years.

After inaugurating a 15-day exhibition of Khadi products organized by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at Rudraksh international convention centre, Verma was addressing a convention of artisans from 12 districts of east UP.

Lauding KVIC for organizing the exhibition and holding convention of artisans he said, Varanasi, in the past few years, has emerged as a hub of various Khadi activities. Almost all rural and traditional arts like spinning, weaving, beekeeping and have been promoted on a large scale here.

These initiatives are creating self-EMPLOYMENT for the artisans and making them ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant), said Verma adding, this Khadi exhibition will also provide a big platform to the artisans to market their products and enhance their income.

A range of exquisite Khadi products including the premium high altitude honey from J&K, a wide variety of Kashmiri and Rajasthani woollen shawls, Muslin fabric from West Bengal, a variety of silk fabric from West Bengal and Bihar, Koti Shawls from Punjab, leather products from Kanpur, terracotta pottery from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the widely acclaimed hand-knotted carpets of Mirzapur and Prayagraj are the biggest attractions in the exhibition.

This is the second such exhibition organized by KVIC in Varanasi since the Covid-19 lockdown.