Articles
Article written by Akanksha Borawake, former Associate, Research at CPPR, Nissy Solomon, Senior Associate, Research at CPPR published in Ujjwal Duniya, Jharkhand on January 1, 2022.
Abstract of the Article
The excessive control exercised by the government over the Khadi industry has thwarted major efforts to revive Khadi. One such function of KVIC is it’s archaic procurement policy for the stakeholders operating within the KVIC purview.
The manufacturers of Khadi have little to no control over the quality of the fibre and the prices at which they can procure it. This model of centralised production goes against the objectives of self-reliance and rural empowerment that KVIC was instituted for. Such restrictions and compliances are outdated and harm the ease of doing business in the Khadi sector.
The fabric that once symbolised freedom, is caught in the clutches of excessive bureaucracy today. There’s a need to liberalise the procurement process and enable stakeholders to source raw materials from the seller of their choice, at competitive prices.
Nissy Solomon is Hon. Trustee (Research & Programs) at CPPR. She has a background in Economics with a master’s degree in Public Policy from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. After graduation and prior to her venture into the public policy domain, she worked as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst with Nokia-Heremaps. Her postgraduate research explored the interface of GIS in Indian healthcare planning. She is broadly interested in Public Policy, Economic Development and Spatial Analysis for policymaking.
