The Students and Youth Forum Odisha (SYFO), a Utkal University students’ forum, organised a seminar on ‘Youth for Khadi’ at the Khadi Bhavan here on Saturday.
Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board (OK&VIB) president Tejeswar Parida was felicitated on the occasion. Senior journalist and editor of the Odisha Bhaskar Pradosh Pattnaik joined the students to congratulate Parida. A discussion was held on the future roadmap for Khadi and Village Industries in the State.
Speaking on the occasion, Parida elaborated the vision for the Khadi and Village Industries. He informed that the State Government is seriously mulling to revive the industries and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given him a free hand to chart out a future action plan.
He said some proposals like engaging of Primitive Tribal Groups in the industries, developing stalls on PPP mode, offering internship to students, engaging celebrities, researchers and social activists in the sector would be pursued in next few months. He said the board would celebrate its foundation day on June 15.
He said the board has make plans to collaborate with noted institutioins like SOA University, Xavier University, KIIT University and Sri Sri University to get ideas to popularise Khadi and Village Industries products in Odisha and beyond. Pradosh Pattnaik presented a historical sketch of Khadi and how and why Gnadhiji made it popular. He said that there is enough scope for improvement and advocated the students and the youth to support Tejeswar to reach out to the rural artisans.
Kamala Kanta Dash of the Faculty of Good Governance and Public Policy, Sri Sri University moderated the discussion.