Delhi: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the Khadi Centre of Excellence 2.0 (COEK 2.0) program. The MoU, formalized on Friday at the KVIC office in Rajghat, Delhi, marks a pivotal step in enhancing the Khadi brand’s domestic and international presence in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.
The agreement was signed by Shri Vatsalya Saxena, CEO of KVIC, and Smt. Tanu Kashyap, Director General of NIFT, with the presence of Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman of KVIC; Shri S C L Das, Secretary of the Ministry of MSME; and Joint Secretary Shri Vipul Goyal.
Chairman KVIC Shri Manoj Kumar lauded the MoU as a revolutionary move that aims to rejuvenate the Khadi ecosystem through design innovation, capacity building, and market expansion. He emphasized that the collaboration with NIFT will infuse the “Brand Khadi” with contemporary appeal, leveraging NIFT’s expertise in fashion design and technology to attract younger generations.
As part of COEK 2.0, NIFT will establish a hub centre in New Delhi and spoke centres in major cities including Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Panchkula, Hyderabad, and Bhubaneswar. These centres will work on enhancing the Khadi brand through various initiatives such as fashion shows, exhibitions, and training programs for Khadi institutions. Additionally, a Khadi Knowledge Portal and a dyeing studio in Assam will be developed to further support Khadi’s growth.
The initiative also includes plans to build and design new Khadi stores, formulate strategic plans as a think tank for KVIC, and work closely with state offices to address shortcomings and provide capacity-building training for Khadi workers. KVIC has committed to invest approximately ₹25.17 crore through COEK over the next three years to strengthen Khadi’s quality and market power.
Shri Manoj Kumar reiterated KVIC’s dedication to implementing Prime Minister Modi’s motto of ‘Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion, and Khadi for Transformation,’ and the Viksit Bharat Abhiyan at the grassroots level. This partnership with NIFT is poised to create a sustainable and vibrant Khadi ecosystem, contributing significantly to the brand’s evolution and reach.