Question : UPGRADATION OF KHADI SALE CENTRES

(a) whether the Government is taking any steps to upgrade the Khadi sale centres and Gandhi Ashrams for promotion of khadi products in the country; and

(b) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SHRI VIRBHADRA SINGH)

(a) & (b): The steps undertaken by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to upgrade the Khadi sale centres including those run by Gandhi Ashrams include (i) introduction of a scheme ‘Strengthening Infrastructure of Existing Weak Khadi Institutions and Assistance for Marketing Infrastructure’ for renovation of 30 khadi sales outlets and providing assistance for strengthening infrastructure of existing 100 weak selected institutions, (ii) arranging financial assistance to the tune of US $ 150 million (around Rs 700 crore) from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement Khadi Reforms and Development Programme (KRDP) through 300 tentatively selected khadi institutions over a period of three years from 2009-10, which inter alia, provides for opening of new sales outlets in metropolitan cities and state capitals and renovation and modernization of institutional sales outlets, with professional support made available through a Marketing Organization set up in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.