Women stitching the national flag at the country’s sole BIS-recognised unit at Karnataka Khadi Gramodyog Samyukta Sangha at Bengeri in Hubballi.
| Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE
Despite the hype over the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, the sale of khadi national flags in the sole khadi flag manufacturing unit of the country located at Bengeri in Hubballi has gone down further for the third year in a row.
After the COVID-19 debacle, sales were affected because of the amendment made to the National Flag Code of India, allowing flags made of polyester cloth Just before the announcement of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign to mark the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence in 2022. And this year, coupled with the ‘polyester flags, ’ the floods in various parts of the country have added to the woes of the khadi flag manufacturing unit.
Prior to 2022, the flag code allowed the use of only the khadi flag. Hubballi houses the country’s sole BIS-recognised national flag manufacturing unit, which functions under the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyog Samyukta Sangha(KKGSS), Bengeri. It got BIS recognition in the year 2004.
By August 15, every year, KKGSS would have dispatched national flags of various sizes, including the biggest flag (14×21 ft long) hoisted over Red Fort, worth ₹2 crore to various khadi bhavans and sanghas under KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission), which subsequently would be hoisted at various government departments, public sector banks and private associations and organisations.
“Last two years, the amendment to flag code affected our sales, and this year, the floods also seem to have made an adverse impact,” Secretary of Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS) Shivanand Mathapathi told The Hindu.
This year, the flag unit sold flags worth just over ₹1.4 crore, even as a last-minute call for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ has been given. “Had we not received two bulk orders with a total worth of ₹60 lakhs from Khadi Bhavan at Delhi, our sales would have been just 80 lakhs”, Mr. Mathapathi said.
KKGSS used to receive bulk orders from the khadi bhavans and sanghas under KVIC in north India ahead of Independence Day and also Republic Day. This year, because of the downpours and floods, there have not been many orders from the North and also from Kerala.
‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and the amendment to the flag code have actually taken away the advantage that khadi units had. According to BIS standards, the flag unit is required to manufacture only nine sizes of national flags and the size mentioned under the campaign is not permitted under it. Added to it, the polyester cloth flags are cheaper. Consequently, the footfall at the KKGSS unit at Bengeri in Hubballi ahead of the national festivals has also come down.
In all, around 1,200 persons, mainly women, are involved in the national flag manufacturing work in khadi units spread across the districts of Dharwad and Bagalkot. The khadi cloth used for making the flag comes from the units spread across 21 villages in Bagalkot district, and subsequent work of making the flag was done at the flag unit at Bengeri in Hubballi.
No impact
Post amendment to the flag code in 2022, various organisations, including the khadi sanghas, approached the Union government seeking reversal of the amendment. The then Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi (who continues to be Minister in the new government) termed it as a temporary measure to cater to the huge demand for flags on account of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. However, the amendment to the flag code allowing polyester cloth flags continues to be in force even after three years, dashing the hopes of the khadi activists and workers.
