Khadi’s online sale has brought good fortune for its empowered potters this Diwali. Earthen lamps (Diya) made by these potters in the remote parts of Jaisalmer and Hanumangarh districts in Rajasthan are reaching every corner of the country, thanks to Khadi India’s e-portal .

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), this year, for the first time, decided to sell Diyas to online and through stores to become foot soldiers of the Prime minister's vision of Vocal for Local. KVIC launched online sale of Diyas on October 8, and in less than a month, nearly 10,000 Diyas have already been sold online. Huge demand for Khadi’s clay Diyas was seen from the very first day of its launch and in less than 10 days, a majority of designer Diyas were completely sold out.

Following this, KVIC launched new sets of designer Diyas that are also in huge demand. The sale of Diyas is further rising with Diwali inching closer.

KVIC has launched 8 types of designer Diyas that are priced nominally between Rs. 84 and Rs. 108 for a set of 12 pieces. KVIC is also offering a discount of 10% on these Diyas. KVIC potters have expressed happiness that they are earning Rs 2 to Rs 3 on sale of every Diya. Khadi’s designer Diyas are available at www.khadiindia.gov.in.

KVIC is also selling Diyas and other clay items such as Laxmi-Ganesh idols and other decoratives through its outlets in Delhi and other cities. These idols are being made by potters in Varanasi, Rajasthan, Haryana and other states and are fetching good income for the potters. Diyas, on the other hand, is being procured from KVIC units in Pokharan in Jaisalmer and Rawatsar in Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan. Over 10,000 Diyas have also been sold through various Khadi outlets.

KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena said the online sale of clay items is empowerment of KVIC potters in real sense. “Earlier, potters in a particular region would only sell their items locally but with the pan-India reach of Khadi’s e-portal, these products are being sold in every part of the country. Through KVIC e-portal, Diyas made in Rajasthan are being purchased in remote states like Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Kerala,Assam, Maharashtra, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This has prompted an increase in production and higher income of the potters,” Saxena said. “This is precisely the dream of the Prime Minister to empower potters and revive the art of pottery,” Saxena added.

Madan Lal Prajapati, one such potter of PMEGP unit in Pokharan, said this is the first time he is selling Diyas outside his village. “This Diwali our sale has shot up. We are supplying our Diyas to Khadi Bhavan in Delhi and from there it is being sold throughout the country online. This is fetching me good income,” he said.

Notably, KVIC has trained these potters and provided them with electric potter wheels and other equipment under Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana that has increased their production and income by up to 5 times. So far, KVIC has distributed over 18,000 electric potter wheels benefitting over 80,000 people of the Kumhar community.

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RCJ/RNM/IA