Delhi: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), inaugurated ‘Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026’ at the KVIC campus at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, on Thursday.
The month-long nationwide celebration is being held from September 17 to October 17, 2026, with a focus on Khadi, Swadeshi, employment, self-reliance and public participation.
KVIC Chairman Manoj Goyal inaugurated the event in the presence of former Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash, Khadi institutions, artisans, PMEGP beneficiaries, trainees, KVIC officials and participants who joined the programme online from different parts of the country.
Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026 Begins Nationwide
The inaugural programme featured several activities highlighting Khadi, village industries and public participation.
As part of the programme:
- Artisans cut a cake carrying the #AshirwadKaDiya message.
- Participants lit 25 lamps of ‘Sankalp se Siddhi’.
- Machines and toolkits were distributed to artisans from Delhi and the North East.
- A Khadi and Village Industries Exhibition was organised.
- A live demonstration of spinning the charkha was held.
- A selfie point was inaugurated.
- The ‘Swadeshi Sankalp’ campaign was launched.
- Certificates were distributed to candidates trained under various skill development programmes.
- Cleanliness activities were conducted at the KVIC office complex at Gandhi Darshan.
- KVIC Chairman Manoj Goyal planted a sapling to promote environmental protection.
Read also: KVIC Turns Traditional Skills Into Rural Businesses, 2.46 Lakh Bee Boxes Distributed Since 2017
₹289 Crore Margin Money Subsidy Disbursed Under PMEGP
During the event, KVIC disbursed ₹289 crore in margin money subsidy under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
The subsidy will support 3,366 new projects across the country and is expected to generate employment opportunities for approximately 37,026 people.
Bank loans of around ₹873 crore have also been provided for these projects.
Additionally, 5,000 new PMEGP units were launched online during the programme.
The initiative aims to support youth, women and rural entrepreneurs and encourage them to become job creators.
Five Digital Initiatives Launched by KVIC
KVIC also launched five digital initiatives during the programme to improve access to its services and make its operations more effective.
The initiatives include:
- E-Commerce Portal
- PMEGP Online EDP Portal
- PMEGP Online EDP Mobile App
- Hindi Vaibhav Portal
- KVIC Digital 2.0
Along with these initiatives, 760 individual and group workshops and renovated stores were inaugurated online across the country.
Khadi Mahotsav to Promote Swadeshi and Self-Reliance
Speaking at the event, KVIC Chairman Manoj Goyal said that the ‘Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026’ aims to spread awareness about Khadi, Swadeshi, employment and self-reliance.
He described Khadi as more than a fabric, highlighting its role in supporting livelihoods, the rural economy and artisans.
The programme will focus on activities linked to:
- Khadi and village industries
- Swadeshi products
- Rural employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Self-reliance
- Artisan development
- Public participation
Goyal also highlighted initiatives such as Vocal for Local, Atmanirbhar Bharat and Local to Global in the context of promoting local products and rural entrepreneurship.
Cleanliness Drives and Khadi Yatras Across India
Under ‘Seva Sankalp, Khadi Mahotsav 2026’, a range of activities will be conducted across the country until October 17.
These activities include:
- Cleanliness drives
- Tree plantation programmes
- Khadi Yatras
- Swadeshi Sankalp pledges
- Awareness programmes
- Artisan dialogues
- Skill and training programmes
Schools, villages, towns and Khadi institutions will also be associated with the nationwide activities.
Goyal said KVIC aims to make the festival a public participation campaign rather than limiting it to a departmental programme.
Khadi Mahotsav Linked With Swachhata Hi Seva 2026
The Khadi Mahotsav will also be linked with the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2026’ campaign, which is being observed from September 17 to October 17.
This year’s theme of the cleanliness campaign is ‘Participation in Cleanliness, Clean India, Developed India’.
The KVIC Chairman emphasised the connection between cleanliness, employment, Swadeshi and service, while calling upon artisans, Khadi institutions, PMEGP beneficiaries, youth and KVIC employees to participate in the campaign.
Khadi and Village Industries Sector Records Growth
According to the information shared during the programme, the Khadi and Village Industries sector recorded significant growth in recent years.
In financial year 2025-26, the sector’s turnover exceeded ₹1.87 lakh crore, while more than 20.4 million people were employed through the sector.
KVIC Chairman Manoj Goyal expressed confidence that the sector would achieve a turnover target of ₹2.51 lakh crore in the coming years.
He also highlighted the role of Khadi and village industries in supporting livelihoods, preserving India’s cultural heritage and promoting sustainable development.
About KVIC
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. It works to promote Khadi and village industries, generate rural employment, support artisans and entrepreneurs, and strengthen self-reliance through village-based economic activities.
