Lijjat Papad an Inspiring Example of Women Empowerment and 'Local to Global': KVIC Chairman Manoj Goyal

The Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Mr. Manoj Goyal, interacted with the women artisans of 'Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad' during an event held on Wednesday at the Shri Shanmukhananda Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Auditorium in Sion (East), Mumbai. On this occasion, he praised the work of the women artisans and emphasized the critical role of organizations like Lijjat Papad in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Vocal for Local' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Manoj Goyal noted that Lijjat Papad began on March 15, 1959, with only seven women and a capital of 80 rupees. He stated that this initiative was not merely about making papads, but was the result of a dream for women to become self-reliant and live with dignity. This journey gained further momentum after being recognized as a 'Village Industry' by KVIC in 1966. Currently, more than 45,000 women are associated with the organization through 83 branches spread across 16 states.

The Chairman informed that the organization has expanded its product range beyond papads to include the production of spices, flour, detergent, and liquid soap. Lijjat Papad products are exported to more than 30 countries, including the USA, Australia, Japan, and South Africa. Mr. Goyal praised the organization's quality, discipline, and hard work, describing it as an outstanding example of 'Local to Global'.

Highlighting the national achievements of Lijjat Papad, he mentioned that the institution was honored with the 'Best Village Industry Award' in 2003, the 'Brand Equity Award' in 2005, and the 'Women Development Award' in 2017.

Discussing other KVIC activities, the Chairman stated that employment is being provided to approximately 5 lakh artisans across the country, 80 percent of whom are women working in nearly 3,000 Khadi institutions. Over the last 12 years, the wages of Khadi artisans have increased by 275 percent. He further shared that the production of the Khadi and Village Industries sector has risen to approximately 1.25 lakh crore rupees, with sales reaching 1.87 lakh crore rupees.

Additionally, he informed that under the Village Industries Development Scheme, more than 3.23 lakh machines and toolkits have been distributed over the past 12 years. Meanwhile, through the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), nearly 11 lakh new projects have been launched so far, with subsidies exceeding 30,000 crore rupees, creating employment opportunities for approximately 1 crore people.