Articles
CPPR Book Discussion on Politics and Society Between Elections: Public Opinion in India’s States
December 24, 2021
Khadi Tangled in Regulation
January 1, 2022The economic liberation of Khadi artisans is necessary as Mahatma Gandhi’s dream
Article written by Akanksha Borawake, former Associate, Research at CPPR, Nissy Solomon, Senior Associate, Research at CPPR published in tv9kannada.com on December 25, 2021. Click here to read
Abstract of the article
The economic emancipation of local community via Khadi, as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi laid emphasis on value chains to be within village premises. However, the current business setting, which is predominantly run by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) certified Khadi Institutions (KIs), has dissolved the previous localised production model which gave artisans greater control over their own art. The critical part in the production process are outsourced artisans, while the business aspect of the value chain is undertaken by the KIs.
Skilled artisans in the Khadi industry are abandoning their craft due to lack of better wages. To truly empower artisans, their path to becoming sellers of their own products should be made easier to navigate. The present regulatory environment discourages artisans to undertake any entrepreneurial activity. The sector needs to dismantle regulatory barriers and encourage individual artisans to freely mobilise their resources and form cooperatives that would enhance their bargaining power in the market and ensure better wages.
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.
