Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, who is also the District in-charge Minister, said that Mahatma Gandhi had made Khadi an integral part of life of every Indian and Khadi movement became an invincible movement during the Independence struggle.
Speaking after inaugurating the week long Khadi Utsav-2016 in Kalaburagi city on Sunday, Dr. Patil said Khadi movement gave the much needed zest and inspiration to the freedom movement and fillip to the non-cooperation movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi during the Independence struggle.
It also changed the economic scenario in the villages and gave new avenues of employment through cottage industries to the people, making them self reliant. “Mahatma Gandhi and Khadi were integral part of the Independence movement.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Expressing his anguish over the lack of support from the general public for Khadi products, Dr. Patil said the people should support the Khadi which is the unique identity of the country and help the Khadi movement to survive and grow.
He said the Union and State governments was providing incentives and subsidies to the Khadi and village industries and the Khadi products were sold at highly subsidised rates.
Former Minister and Afsalpur MLA Malikayya Guttedar highlighted the enhanced financial assistance provided by the present Congress government to Khadi and village industries in the State and reiterated that the people should support the Khadi movement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gulbarga South MLA Dattatreya Patil Revoor presided over the function. Earlier, Gandhian Vasant Kustagi gave a special lecture on Gandhi and Khadi and stressed on the need for protecting and supporting Khadi. More than 50 stalls have been put up by various units of the Khadi and village industries from different parts of Karnataka and other states including Bihar and Rajasthan.