Khadi would no longer be available at discounted rates - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Khadi would no longer be available at discounted rates to consumers from October 2, following the Central Government's order to reform the existing subsidy patterns, due to which the current rebate of 20 percent has been withdrawn. The discount, which was available across the country for 108 working days, starting October 2 every year, will now be directed towards the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) programme of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), an apex organization of the central Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. However, individual Khadi institutions have not welcomed the change of the central government's policy. "We can't say anything about the central government, they believe in Gandhian ideology. We don't know why they are doing it. What is the conspiracy behind it, we can't understand. This is totally wrong and this should not happen," said Suman Saini, a customer. Over 80 percent of annual sales of Khadi products are restricted to the discount season, while less than 20 percent of sales are made during the remaining eight months. "Either we do not understand the people, or the people do not understand the ideology of Gandhi. If one wants to understand the ideology of Gandhi, you have to live with honest values and we are doing it, and we shall continue doing it in spite of all opposition from the government, and we shall fight it out," said Rameshawar Nath Mishra, founder of the Gandhi Ashram in Lucknow.