Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) which is in the forefront of popularising Khadi has come out with a novel way to bestow dignity on the humble ‘mochi’. Acting on the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, KVIC has decided to give recognition to the people from the marginalised shoe-making community popularly known as Mochi.
In this first kind of such initiatives in the country, the KVIC decided to re-christen ‘mochi’ as ‘Charm Chikitsak’ at the training programme at the KVIC’s e Gandhi Darshan premises in Delhi on Wednesday.
When KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena addressed the inaugural session of 100 leather artisan trainees of Delhi as ‘Charm-Chikitsak’, some of the shoe-makers broke into tears. For 60-year-old Ramsevak, it was simply unbelievable .
“We are getting a sense of recognition and security with this encouraging address of the KVIC Chairman,
what we have not ever dreamt of in our lives,” he said.
Saxena said that KVIC had always shown its commitment to uplift the social and economic status of the marginalized communities. “After the overwhelming success in Kumhar Sashaktikaran Scheme, we planned to launch this Leather Artisans Development Scheme, in which small time shoe-makers, mostly sitting on footpaths - polishing and repairing shoes and chappals, from all corners of the country, would first be given proper training and then modern Shoe-tools Kit worth Rs 5,000. The kits will be equipped with all necessary articles needed to cure and beautify shoes and chappals,” he said.
Saxena said earlier this month, 50 artisans of Sirohi district — one of the aspirational districts identified by the Neeti Aayog — in Rajasthan had been given training with the Shoe-tool Kits.
“We hope to distribute at least 10,000 such kits among our ‘charm-chikistak’ by the end of this year,” he added.