The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, inaugurated the "Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026" on Thursday, marking the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, from the KVIC campus at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat. The commemoration will be celebrated nationwide from September 17 to October 17, 2026, with public participation. The chief guest, Shri Manoj Goyal, Chairman, KVIC, inaugurated the event. On the occasion, former Delhi Mayor Shri Jai Prakash, representatives of Khadi institutions, artisans, PMEGP beneficiaries, trainees, officers and employees of KVIC, as well as artisans and other participants who joined online from across the country, were present. During the event, the artisans cut a cake with #AshirwadKaDiya and lit 25 lamps of "Sankalp se Siddhi" to symbolize Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's 25 years of service, good governance, and public participation.

Shri Goyal said that service, good governance, and public participation have been key principles ​​in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's 25 years of public life. Inspired by this spirit, KVIC will spread the message of Khadi, Swadeshi, employment, and self-reliance through the 'Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav-2026'. He said that Khadi is not just a fabric, but a symbol of self-respect, employment, rural economy, and Swadeshi. Under the Prime Minister's leadership, campaigns like 'Vocal for Local', 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', and 'Local to Global' have given a new identity to local products and rural entrepreneurship.

During the programme, machines and toolkits were distributed to artisans from Delhi and the North East regions. Shri Goyal said that these are not just equipment, but new opportunities for employment, self-reliance, and respect for artisans. Margin money subsidy of ₹289 crore was also disbursed under the PMEGP. This will establish 3,366 new projects across the country and create employment opportunities for approximately 37,026 people. Bank loans worth approximately ₹873 crore have been provided for these projects. At the event, 5,000 new PMEGP units were launched online. He said the objective of PMEGP is to transform youth, women, and rural entrepreneurs from job seekers to job creators.

The program marked the launch of the E-Commerce Portal, PMEGP Online EDP Portal, PMEGP Online EDP Mobile App, Hindi Vaibhav Portal, and KVIC Digital 2.0, aimed at making KVIC's digital services more accessible and effective. Also, 760 individual, group workshops, and renovated stores were inaugurated online across the country, and a Khadi and Village Industries Exhibition was organized. Activities such as the inauguration of a selfie point, a live demonstration of spinning the charkha, and the "Swadeshi Sankalp" campaign were also organized at the venue. Certificates were distributed to candidates trained in various skill development courses. Cleanliness activities were organized at the KVIC office complex at Gandhi Darshan, and Chairman, KVIC, Shri Manoj Goyal, planted a sapling, promoting environmental protection and a clean campus.

Under the "Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026," cleanliness drives, tree plantations, Khadi Yatras, the Swadeshi Sankalp pledge, awareness programs, artisan dialogues, and training programs will be organized across the country til 17^th  October. Schools, villages, towns and Khadi institutions will be associated to these activities. Shri Goyal said that KVIC's effort is that this festival should not remain just a departmental programme but should become a campaign for the people and a festival of public participation. He said that there should be dialogue of Khadi in every school, talk of village industries in every village, talk of Swadeshi in every market.

Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav will also be linked with the 'Swachhata Hi Seva 2026' campaign running from 17th September to 17th October. This year the theme of Swachhata Hi Seva campaign is 'Participation in Cleanliness, Clean India, Developed India'. Shri Goyal said, "Cleanliness is service, Swadeshi is service, providing employment is service, and respecting artisans is service." He called upon artisans, Khadi institutions, PMEGP beneficiaries, youth, and the KVIC family across the country to actively participate in the "Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026."

On this occasion, Shri Manoj Goyal opined that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Khadi has achieved a new dimension. Today, Khadi has become a powerful medium to realize the resolve of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Local to Global, and Developed India 2047. He said that Khadi is not just a fabric, but a source of livelihood for millions of artisans and weavers, a symbol of India's cultural heritage and sustainable development.

Khadi and Village Industries sector has made unprecedented progress due to  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visionary thoughtfulness and policies, he added.  In the financial year 2025-26, the turnover of the Khadi and Village Industries sector exceeded ₹1.87 lakh crore, while the total income generated through this sector was ₹1.87 lakh crore. More than 20.4 million people are employed. He expressed confidence that the sector will achieve its target of ₹2.51 lakh crore in turnover in the coming years.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

Email – hipessi[at]gmail[dot]com

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