: Friday, 28 March 2025 3:16 pm
Gopalganj Gopalganj district of Bihar has created a unique identity through its rich cultural heritage and traditions. Khadi has been a special place in these traditions, which not only empowered the local economy, but also gave a new dimension to the identity of the district. The Bihar government has also included it under the ‘one district, one product’. Currently, this industry is going through a bad phase. Due to low income, it is becoming difficult to run a family, due to which artisans are forced to flee. Can their condition improve and how can an attempt of the government change the picture of this industry? All these questions were answered by Surendra Kumar Singh, who was associated with Gopalganj Khadi Village Industries. He spoke to the news agency and introduced the current situation.
The former employee associated with Gopalganj Khadi village industry said that Khadi Village Industries had started before independence and it was moving very fast, but with the changing times, the Khadi industry was not taken care of and the industry is going through a bad phase today.
Recalling the past round, Singh says, “The handloom industry used to run in 200 places in the entire Gopalganj, but currently it is barely running in 10 places. Due to low wages, the artisans associated with this industry are now migrating to outside states, due to which industries are being closed.”
He said that the apathy of the government is also a big reason. Especially the artisans do not get any help from the Bihar government. However, the central government gets assistance of up to 30 percent on production, but this is not enough.
The main reason for the compulsion of migration is financial crisis. There is skill but not his honor. According to Singh, there is no respectable wages even after working for hours. He said, “One has to work at least eight hours in a day, which earns 150 to 200 rupees in return, it is quite low in today’s time. Because of this, people are showing interest in other works, where for so many hours, they work for 500 to 600 rupees.”
There is a demand for Khadi apparel, but due to lack of artisans, the scope of the industry has been reduced. He said that due to limited scope of industry, clothes are now sold in the local market itself. Clothes are sold in the districts around Gopalganj and sometimes demand is also demanded from Gorakhpur or Varanasi.
It is noteworthy that the roots of the Khadi industry in Gopalganj have been associated with ancient times. Local artisans produced handmade textiles through their art and skills, which were famous for their quality and design. Over time, this industry became a major source of employment for the local community.
The Khadi industry of Gopalganj has been an important part of the cultural and economic identity of the district, but the Khadi industry of Gopalganj is facing many challenges. These include problems such as lack of modern technology, difficulty in marketing, and availability of raw materials.
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Web Title-Gopalganj khadi village industry is ending in the changing times, artisans forced to migrate
