The Khadi and Village Industries Units in villages were started as part of the freedom struggle to revive village industries and also against the foreign goods being dumped in India, under the leadership and encouragement of Gandhiji. All over India, this was an effort to make the village self-sufficient, to provide them with the wherewithal to make their own basic needs for a comfortable life. (Read more on Khadi and its role in the Indian freedom movement). The units manufacture and process a variety of food, clothing and other requirements for the village markets. Gandhigram is one of the pioneers in developing village industrial units in villages. These units at Gandhigram are managed under the Gandhigram Khadi & Village Industries Public Charitable Trust. It has over the years created village industries, set-up many industries, has facilitated research and development on specific village products, and continuously trained village entrepreneurs for setting up village units. It has inspired many similar initiatives across Tamil Nadu and today plays an important role in the State. The current turnover of the Khadi units in Gandhigram is Rs. 6.92 crores (2010-11) of which 1.35 crores by Khadi and 5.57 crores by VI. The units employ 115 staff in administration, 328 artisan and 25 daily wagers. Currently around 30 products from the 100 – odd products listed under KVIC, are produced and sold from Gandhigram. V. Padmanabhan Anna Research Centre, started in 1995 is a unique research unit that monitors the different village industries products, their processes, customer’s feedback and makes enhancements and value additions for the products. Gandhigram Khadi Public Charitable Trust was awarded the best Rural Industries Unit Award for the year 2002-2003 and the award presented by the then Prime Minister at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 14th March 2003.
The product range of Khadi trust is as follows:
- Honey Date Jam – A general tonic for health
- Hand pound rice with AGMARK certification
- AGMARK certified Organic Gingelly oil.
- FPO certified Pickles Lemon, mango, Garlic, Mango ginger and ginger
- Agarbathi
- Siddha and Ayurvedic medicines
- ISI certified Bath soaps and shampoos,
- FPO certified fruit juice
- Steel furniture and
- Plastic container unit
Gandhigram has trained and developed a band of sales representatives called Gandhigram Sales Representatives (GSRs). They are educated unemployed boys and girls from rural areas or members of SHGs. They take the products of Gandhigram / SHGs to the village doorsteps. There are twelve directly managed sales outlets in Palani, Dindigul, Madurai (2), Thirunelveli, Ambasamudram, Kodai Road, Kasipalayam, T. Subbalapuram, Edamalaipatti (Trichy), Pallapatti (Karur) and Gandhigram. Shri R. Venkatraman released ISI certified toilet soaps
The khadi & village Industries units are operated in the campus of Gandhigram and also in villages.The soap unit of Gandhigram branded the following soaps: Neem Sandal Soap, Neem Toilet Soap and Gandhigram Herbal Toilet Soap. Neem oil is the main raw material used for Gandhigram toilet soaps. This ensures that the toilet soap inherits all the benefits of the neem oil including antiseptic and treatment for infection. The soaps are prepared as per the BIS standards IS 2883-1983. These soaps are prepared from base of vegetable oils like neem, palm, coconut and rice bran oils and free from animal fat. Gandhigram have received ISI certification for its Neem, Neem Sandal and Escent Soap.Shri R.Venkataraman, former President of India, released these ISI marked soaps in a function in Madurai. A new variety of aloe vera soap has also been introduced in the market. This soap uses aloe vera gel as a moisturizing agent.
Honey processing unit Raw honey from Marthandam Bee Keepers Association near Kerala is cleaned, filtered and tested before being packed into 1 kg, ½ kg, 200gms and 100gms bottles. Agmark testing is done for each batch. The annual turnover of honey is around Rs. 8 lakhs. Bhavana inji, Bhavana jeeragam, nelli and inji marappa are also processed and made here and they generate additional revenue to the tune of Rs. 2 lakh per year.
Papad making
Since 1993, this unit produces papad which is sold across the country under the brand name of Lijjat Papad and works on the principles evolved by the famous Lijjat Papad initiative. So far this unit has provided training for over 500 women in papad making and currently about 45 women belonging to self-help groups are employed by this unit in producing papads. The members who make the papad process about 6-10 kilos of dough per day and make papads out of them. They earn ` 21/- per kilo and on an average earn ` 120-200/- per day. The objective is to ensure that each one of them can earn a minimum wage of ` 5,000/- per month. The members elect one President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer from amongst themselves and they decide on all the developments of the unit. The unit deploys one accountant, one supervisor, one assistant and one helper. Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) is held every year to select the office bearers. All the operational details, working hours, holidays are decided by the women themselves. The mixing of the dough each day is personally done by the President. Most of the raw materials are procured at the Lijjat papad head quarters in Mumbai and only small amount of local purchase is done. This is to ensure the uniformity of taste and standards across the country. Weekly samples are sent for quality testing to Mumbai. There are about 24 dealers in South Tamil Nadu and the turnover for the year 2010-11 is ` 54 lakhs. Chappal-making unit This unit employs 4 people. The starting price for the chappals are from Rs. 150/- onwards. Hand driven mechanical processes are used. The products are sold through 12 sales outlets including Gandhigram showrooms.
Fibre Products Unit
This unit produces Bags, curtains, mats, coasters, boxes and files using Jute and Plantain fibre. The raw materials are procured in bulk for Jute from Madurai and for Plantain fibre from Nagercoil. This unit employs 10 employees directly and indirectly. Besides sending to the Sales Outlets, they get specific orders from the internal units like Lakshmi Seva Sangham, Kasturba Hospital, Gandhigram Rural University and nearby villages for marriages and other programmes.
Herbal Powders Processing Unit The raw materials are brought from SHG members who have collected from the hills and foothills of Sirumalai. The basic infrastructure consists of machinery to crush, grind and mix raw material to make the herbal powders are installed. The products are sold through the sales outlets as well as GSRs.
V. Padmanabhan Anna Research CentreEstablished in 1995, the team in the centre constantly monitors the various village industry products and undertakes further research based on market feedback and product enhancement possibilities and emergence of newer technologies.
- One of their research output is a low cost acid slurry manufacturing process which is managed in a unit at Kasipalayam.
- The centre has also come up with an unique washing powder for natural dye fabrics without compromising on their eco-friendly quality, this product is awaiting production.
- The centre has also extracted aloe vera juice and has tried its application for toilet soap and cosmetics; the products are under trial for commercial release.
Other products being researched are Neem oil emulsifier giving natural pesticide, Urea coated neem cake, Neem shampoo, Ayurvedic fairness cream, Ayurvedic thailam being converted to cream for easy packaging pinda thailam, doovadhi thailam under study and an all natural hand made ayurvedic soap this 100% natural product with the processing and raw material and packaging all completely environment friendly aims to be the first of its kind in India it will be the first soap that will go for eco-mark in India. Oil Extraction Unit The unit provides training on neem oil and other non-edible oil extraction for villagers. Currently processing of edible oils and non-edible oils are maintained by SHG members. Neem cake production at T. Subbulapuram is around 15 tons/yr., Neem oil from SHG federation are used for the soap making in the soap making units.
Silk Cotton unit The centre started in 2005 and provides employment opportunity to 30 artisans directly and indirectly. The turnover of the unit is Rs. 9.47 (2010-11). The silk cotton is used for making mattresses and pillows.
Siddha & Ayurveda Unit The Siddha and Ayurveda unit of the trust started in the year 1986. The unit has GMP and drug license for 350 medicines. Currently the unit produces 75 Siddha and Ayurveda medicines.
Soap Base Unit at Kasipalayam Soap base unit was started at Kasipalayam in the year 2009 with the technical guidance from IIT Chennai and financial assistance from DST, New Delhi. The unit was opened by the principal scientific officer Shri P. Chidambaram. KVIPC Trust is an implementing agencies of KVIC, Madurai for ready warp project and KRDP (Khadi Reform Development programme). These programmes would help to the development of Khadi sector. KVIPC Trust is one of the members in Tamil Nadu Khadi and Polyvastra spinners and weaver’s welfare fund and pension trust and under these 195 employees of our trust registered which covers accident policies and other benefits as insurance.
