Team Amazon would also educate and train the khadi artisans to directly sell their products to online customers.
To promote rustic khadi and re-skill artisans in modern designs and technologies, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday forged an alliance with global e-commerce giant Amazon.
The Yogi Adityanath government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amazon to promote the khadi apparels manufactured in the state under the brand of ‘UP Khadi’ over its online marketplace.
Besides, Team Amazon would educate and train the khadi artisans to directly sell their products to online customers.
“We would deploy our team to train UP khadi artisans associated with khadi units that are onboard with us,” Amazon India, director & GM, Gopal Pillai said.
He claimed there was rising demand for khadi products globally and it was becoming the fabric of choice for the people, especially youth.
Since UP is famous for distinct traditional industries across its 75 districts, he said the company would be willing to consider other such products as well in the league of ‘UP Khadi’ if there is adequate demand apart from commensurate state government push.
Meanwhile, UP khadi & village industries principal secretary Navneet Sehgal noted the tie-up with Amazon offered a big platform to state khadi products and would benefit khadi manufacturing units and artisans.
“The MoU would fetch remunerative returns to these units and do away with middlemen,” he added.
So far, 7 UP khadi organisations are onboard and 40 are in the pipeline.
Earlier, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had also stressed khadi to ride the online bandwagon for growth and youth appeal.
He had even directed officials to develop a portal for marketing of khadi products and boosting entrepreneurship for creating jobs.
He had stressed for strong brand positioning of ‘UP Khadi’.
Besides, the state is also considering creating a comprehensive database/repository comprising a gamut of food and non-food products of the state.
The government is seeking private investment in the khadi space, apart from ensuring that resources and infrastructure were optimally utilised.
Adityanath had also underlined that an action plan is drafted for deep research on khadi, design, standardisation and marketing support.
Further, UP is also promoting Khadi under its flagship ‘One District, One Product’ scheme, which aims at nurturing district specific traditional industries and handicrafts.
The government would set up industrial clusters to support such industries and to add value to the products.
In fact, the state government has adopted Gujarat Model to boost khadi based manufacturing and marketing.
Khadi is expected to boost bottom of pyramid manufacturing and creating fresh job opportunities.
Last year, the Adityanath cabinet had increased subsidy on the sale of khadi products from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.
The incentive would be given if the khadi products are manufactured in the state.
The subsidy, to be reimbursed through direct benefit transfer, would be equally divided between the weavers/spinners, manufacturer, vand marketer.
Photograph: PTI Photo
