Khadi and Handloom Exhibition-cum-Sale Stalls set up at Vijayawada Railway Station

In commemoration of 75 years of Independence, South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division has set up Khadi & Handloom Stalls at Concourse area of East Booking Office at Main Entrance of Vijayawada Railway Station today i.e.,14th August, 2021. As per directives of Railway Board’s to set up Exhibition cum Sale stalls of Handloom/ Khadi by Government bodies at notified stations, Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and AP State Handloom Weaver’s Cooperative Society (APCO) Govt. based Organizations based at Vijayawada were invited and encouraged to set up the Stalls at Vijayawada Railway Station.

These stalls were set up by coordinating with Government agencies, without charging any licensee fee and will be open for a period of seven days from 08:00 am to 08:00pm from 14th to 20th August, 2021. The objective is to further the idea and symbol of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, self-reliant India with an aim to make the country and its citizens independent in all senses and to honour 75 years of India’s Independence, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

Khadi is a handspun fabric made of cotton yarn using a Charkha and it symbolizes ‘Self-reliance’. In 1918 Mahatma Gandhi started his movement for Khadi as relief programme for the poor masses living in India's villages and saw it as means to end the dependency on foreign materials (symbolizing foreign rule) and thus giving a first lesson of Self-reliance and real independence. APSHWCS popularly known as APCO societies are established with the major objective to protect the heritage, traditional ethnic wear of the State of AP and support the weavers’ community of the State and to enable them to stand up on their own and face the market in a level playing field. Both the organizations support the traditional artisans and weavers to market their products in open market, self-employment and in turn preserving our rich heritage and culture. All Khadi based products which are purely eco-friendly, Uppada, Dharmavaram, Venkatagiri, Mangalagiri, Rajahmundry, Pochampally & Gadwal sarees, and bedsheets, readymade garments, Shirting material, Gramodyog products like Honey and other readymade articles were kept on display

Shri D. Srinivasa Rao, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Infrastructure, Shri P. Bhaskar Reddy, Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager visited the stalls and thanked the Officials from KVIC & APCO for setting up the stalls. These stalls are set up at East Booking Office concourse to provide maximum visibility and to ensure no hindrance to floating Passengers. Shri D. Srinivasa Rao, ADRM (Infra) also stated that Rail users can utilize this opportunity and save their shopping time. Shri P. Bhaskar Reddy, Sr. DCM lauded the efforts of Chief Commercial Inspectors, Shri MSP Srinivas, Smt. K Nagalakshmi and Chief Ticketing Inspector AJ Prakash for coordination and setting up of these stalls.

Shri Ch. Suresh, Station Director, Vijayawada Station; Ms. Nusrat M Mandrupkar, PRO, Vijayawada Division; Dr. S Greep, Director, KVIC, AP; Shri A.G Rao, Asst. Director, KVIC, AP; Shri D. Venkateswarulu, Manager, APCO were present.