The campaign launched by District Collector T.V. Subhash to help the khadi sector recover from the crisis caused by the pandemic has received support from Kudumbashree, which purchased 1,000 coupons worth ₹500 each for purchasing khadi products.
Kudumbashree will distribute to its members khadi products worth ₹5 lakh purchased using the coupons.
Co-operative societies in the district will also purchase 500 coupons and distribute the products to its members. The announcement was made at a campaign review meeting chaired by the Collector.
Mr. Subhash called on government and private institutions, agencies, local bodies, socio-political organisations and businesses in the district to follow suit. The message of the campaign was to buy as many khadi and handloom garments and products as possible for Onam, the Collector said.
In addition, orphanages and old age homes in the district could sponsor khadi clothes. The Collector said that new clothes for Onama, popularly called “Onakkodi” would be given to the inmates of the old age centres in Kannur city in collaboration with the DTPC.
Mr. Subhash asked local bodies to implement the scheme by finding funds through sponsorship in their areas.
As part of the campaign, coupons of ₹500 and ₹1,000 for khadi products will be distributed from Monday next to employees of district offices, government and public sector institutions, banks, and health institutions. The Collector said khadi products costing up to ₹50,000 would be made available to government officials on a sixth-month instalment basis. The products would be available at a 30% discount during Onam.
More khadi outlets would be set up at city centres, taluk headquarters, mini civil stations, universities and tourist centres. The products would be delivered to all parts of the district through mobile units.
Campaigns would also be launched to enable other employment sectors in the district to overcome the COVID crisis.
The khadi products for Onam include ready-made shirts, cotton sarees, cotton, silk, taka muslin shirt pieces, saffron mundu, dhothi, bedsheets, and mosquito nets among others.
The meeting was attended by ADM K.K. Divakaran, local body presidents, Additional SP Prajeesh Thottathil, District Panchayat Secretary V. Chandran, Kudumbashree District Mission Coordinator M. Surjith and Payyannur Khadi Centre director T.C. Madhavan Namboothiri.
