New Delhi [India], October 18 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma inaugurated a state-of-the-art Khadi exhibition displaying exquisite handcrafted products from 20 Indian states in Varanasi on Sunday.

According to the press release issued by the MSME a "Khadi Kareegar Sammelan" (Khadi artisans' conference), which was attended by over 2000 Khadi artisans, mostly women, from Varanasi and 12 adjoining districts like Prayagraj, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Sonbhadra and others too.

A total of 105 stalls have been set up by Khadi Institutions from states like Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Leh-Ladakh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal and others.

A range of exquisite Khadi products including the premium High Altitude Honey from J-K, a wide variety of Kashmiri and Rajasthani woollen shawls, Muslin fabric from West Bengal, a variety of silk fabric from West Bengal and Bihar, Koti Shawls from Punjab, leather products from Kanpur, terracotta pottery from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the widely acclaimed hand-knotted carpets of Mirzapur and Prayagraj are the biggest attractions in the exhibition.

This is the second such exhibition organized by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in Varanasi since the Covid-19 lockdown.

Verma lauded KVIC for organizing the Khadi exhibition and 'Khadi Kareegar Sammelan' saying this aimed at strengthening the artisans.

In the last few years, Varanasi has emerged as a hub of various Khadi activities. Almost all rural and traditional arts like spinning, weaving, beekeeping and pottery have been promoted on a large scale here, which has created self-employment for the artisans and made them 'Aatmanirbhar', he said.

The Minister further said this exhibition will also provide these artisans with a big platform to market their products and enhance their income.

KVIC Chairman Saxena also said the state-level Khadi exhibition at Varanasi was a manifestation of Khadi artisans' commitment to "Aatmanirbhar Bharat". (ANI)