K'taka govt officers, employees to wear Khadi to work on first Saturday

With the aim of promoting Khadi products, a meeting was chaired by the Chief Secretary regarding the voluntary wearing of Khadi clothes by the officers and employees of the government and government-owned corporations, authorities, universities, and aided institutions, Karnataka State Government Employees Association separately said on Thursday.

All officers and employees of the Karnataka government will perform their duties wearing Khadi clothes ''voluntarily'', on the first Saturday of every month, aimed at promoting the fabric and related products. They will also be encouraged to wear Khadi on Independence Day, Republic Day and other official events. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Thursday issued a circular in this regard. ''On the auspicious occasion of 77th Republic Day, with an aim to reconnect public service with the freedom struggle of the country, the State Government has taken a significant decision to promote the use of Khadi.'' ''Accordingly, all the officers/employees of all the Government/Aided Institution/Corporations/Boards/Autonomous Institutions/Universities of the State have been asked to wear Khadi on the first Saturday of every month 'voluntarily' and to direct the officers/staff of their departments to wear Khadi while participating in all official government programmes including Independence Day and Republic Day,'' the circular said. It is hoped that this move will help in instilling a sense of respect, unity, national sentiment, Indianness, self-respect and social responsibility towards indigenous products among government officers/employees, it added. With the aim of promoting Khadi products, a meeting was chaired by the Chief Secretary regarding the voluntary wearing of Khadi clothes by the officers and employees of the government and government-owned corporations, authorities, universities, and aided institutions, Karnataka State Government Employees Association separately said on Thursday. ''All officers and employees will perform their duties wearing Khadi clothes on the first Saturday of every month. Khadi clothes to be purchased from the shops of the government-owned Khadi Village Industries Board,'' the association said in a release. It said, in addition to the discount currently being given by the Khadi Village Industries Board, an additional discount of 5 per cent will be given to officers and employees. While the suggested attire for male employees is Khadi shirts, trousers, overcoats and other formal wear, female employees may wear Khadi or Khadi silk sarees, chudidars and other formal outfit. The initiative will be formally launched on the Government Employees' Day on April 21, the release added. A proposal in the 2026-27 budget, to establish a Government Employees' Canteen through Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL), on the lines of defence canteens, to supply essential commodities and daily-use goods at concessional rates, was discussed at the meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary. Also discussed was, a proposal to extend the additional 5 per cent special discount currently provided by the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) to IAS officers for the purchase of silk sarees and fabrics, to all state government officers and employees, it added.

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