Khadi certification: rethink likely on latest proposal

Khadi certification: rethink likely on latest proposal
The Hindu

HUBLI: There may be some rethinking on the latest proposal of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission to do away with the need to certify khadi.

An indication to this effect was available when a delegation of the Karnataka Development Forum, led by Patil Puttappa, called on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday.

Mr. Puttappa told The Hindu over phone from New Delhi that both the leaders had given assurances about safeguarding the interests of khadi.

The delegation, which among others comprised B.S. Patil, chairman of the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyog Samyukta Sangha, met the Prime Minister on Thursday and called on Ms. Gandhi today before leaving New Delhi.

Mr. Puttappa and Mr. Patil explained to the leaders the new proposal being considered by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

The proposal is to do away with the certification procedure thereby allowing any one to produce khadi.

Mr. Puttappa and Mr. Patil told the Congress President and the Prime Minister that such a policy would mean the end of khadi in the country.

Consequences

The consequences of the movement dying away were serious in the sense that the sector had been providing employment to many rural people with minimum investment.

The purity and sanctity of khadi would be lost, if the certification procedure was done away with and anything could be passed off as khadi, they said.

The delegation also called on the Minister for Railway, Lalu Prasad.