Nitin Gadkari launches special edition Khadi watches by Titan
Gadkari said at the launch event that with this extraordinary initiative, Khadi will find its way on the wrists of the modern Indian. This will lead to a bright future to the artisans in our economy.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday launched the limited edition of Khadi wrist watches manufactured as part of a joint initiative by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Titan.
He said there is a difference between modernisation and westernisation, and called for modernisation of processes with a focus on the creation of quality products.
"With this extraordinary initiative, Khadi will find its way on the wrists of the modern Indian. I am sure this will lead to a bright future to the artisans in our economy," Gadkari said at the launch event.
The minister suggested that the watches be showcased with Gandhiji's photo at international airports to attract buyers.
Priced at Rs 5,000 a piece, the watch sports a silver dial displaying the Charkha with the hand woven signature fabric in the background and on the straps. The grey-black texture of the watch depicts the timeless significance of the watch.
KVIC Chairman V K Saxena said, 1 square meter of Khadi fabric will be used for manufacturing 10 Titan watches and 1,000 such limited edition timeless timepieces are proposed to be sold for now.
Earlier this month, Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal had asked the traders to promote swadeshi by selling and consuming local products, saying it will help in boosting economic growth to double digits.
He exhorted domestic traders to pay heed to the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote swadeshi products.
"If traders start using swadeshi (indigenous) goods, sell swadeshi products, and promote those items, the economic growth will boom. No one can stop us from growing at seven, eight, and nine per cent and double digits," Goyal said here while addressing members of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).
The minister also asked CAIT to prepare a data base of a number of shops and people employed in those establishments in the country as that data will help the government implement demands made by the traders community effectively.
On this, CAIT said it will start the work soon and will prepare the data base in the next six months.
Goyal said data is essential for the government to prepare schemes and programmes for welfare of people but regretted that some people are opposing National Population Register.
(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)
