NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched the sale of khadi products in 107 central armed police forces canteens. All the canteens of paramilitary forces across the country will soon begin selling khadi products, the minister said.
The launch took place on the sidelines of the foundation laying ceremony for the Central Workshop and Stores of BSF at Tamulpur in Assam.
"I am delighted that the sale of Khadi products has begun in 107 paramilitary canteens and very soon khadi products will be made available in all paramilitary canteens across the country," Shah said.
He said schemes run by the KVIC like Honey Mission, Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, Leather and Carpenter Empowerment had the potential to create sustainable employment in Assam's Bodoland.
"If KVIC starts connecting people with its self-employment activities, this will surely eradicate the problem of unemployment in Bodoland and also reconnect the Bodo youths, who had given up arms, with the development of the nation," he added.
Earlier, in a bid to push Swadeshi (Made in India), the minister had made it mandatory for all Central Armed Police Forces canteens to sell maximum "Swadeshi" products through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
"To begin with, 32 products, including National Flag, Cotton Towels, Honey, Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil, Agarbatti, Daliya, Papad, Pickles, Amla products, etc. will be supplied in the canteens located in Delhi NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and other states."
"Modalities are being worked out for supplying a wider range of Khadi products to the paramilitary forces that will include Khadi fabric and readymade garments, cosmetics and eatables and herbal products," an official statement said