Khadi products like bed sheets, abdomen sheets, dressing towels, surgeon gown and herbal shampoo will soon make their way into government hospitals across the country.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), which has already bagged orders from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Sucheta Kriplani Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital, is eyeing sales worth Rs 150 crore in the current fiscal from supplies to government hospitals.
"We are expecting orders worth around Rs 150 crore from government hospitals under the Union Health Ministry spread across the country in the current financial year," KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena told PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again urged Indians to embrace the indigenous fabric Khadi on various platforms including his radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'.
The sales of Khadi products rose 35 per cent in 2016-17, and the KVIC has been bagging orders worth crores from various government agencies like the Indian Railways and Air India.
Saxena informed that following his meeting with the Union Minister of Health of Family Welfare J P Nadda - the ministry, in February had ordered 23 central government hospitals and medical research institutions such as AIIMS, PGIMER, NIMHANS and others to buy Khadi products only.
Thereafter, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Sucheta Kriplani Hospital had requested the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to supply Khadi products approximately worth Rs 33 lakh.
"It is the first bulk order for us from any government hospital, after a small one from Safdarjung Hospital. It will now pave way for others to follow," Saxena said.
The chairman said that adopting Khadi for hospitals and their staff symbolises it as the most natural and organic skin-friendly fabric.
Moreover, such orders will provide livelihood support to Khadi artisans, Saxena said.
The 45 Khadi products approved by the health ministry include bed sheets, abdomen sheets, dressing towels, surgeon gown, surgical patient gown, kurta pajama, doctor's coat, soaps, hand sanitizer, Khadi phenyl, herbal shampoo, among others.
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