Khadi Across UP Until January 30: CM Yogi Adityanath Unveils Major Festive Rebate

In a major festive initiative aimed at empowering indigenous weavers and championing sustainable homegrown textiles, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has officially announced a statewide flat 25% discount on all Khadi apparel and handcrafted garments. Effective immediately on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the rebate window will remain operational across government-run emporiums and certified Khadi Bhandars through January 30, 2027. Making the formal declaration from the historic Gandhi Ashram in Hazratganj, Lucknow, the Chief Minister urged citizens, students, and professionals across the state to weave Khadi into their daily lifestyles. Highlighting that Khadi transcends ordinary fashion to embody the eternal spirit of national self-reliance, the Chief Minister underscored that patronizing authentic Khadi products provides direct financial sustenance and dignity to grassroots artisans, rural women spinners, and generational handloom weavers.

Grand Gandhi Jayanti Announcement: 25% Rebate Active Across Uttar Pradesh Until January 30

The four-month discount program is designed to drive consumer demand toward state-produced artisanal goods:

• Four-Month Discount Window: Consumers across Uttar Pradesh can avail of the subsidized 25% price reduction starting October 2, 2026, through January 30, 2027—marking the commemorative span between Gandhi Jayanti and Martyr's Day.

• Honoring Dual Anniversaries: The announcement coincided with commemorative celebrations marking the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 122nd birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

• High-Level Tributes in Lucknow: Following ceremonial prayers and spinning demonstrations at the Gandhi Ashram in Hazratganj, the Chief Minister proceeded to Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhawan to pay floral tributes to Shastriji, addressing media representatives at both iconic venues.

Bapu's Swadeshi Legacy: From Colonial Resistance to Modern Self-Reliance

Addressing gathering delegates, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath traced the historical trajectory of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of economic sovereignty:

• Transforming Resistance Into a Mass Movement: The Chief Minister noted that Bapu first raised his principled voice against racial prejudice, colonial exploitation, and apartheid in South Africa before returning to transform India's fragmented struggle into an unprecedented non-violent mass movement.

• The Spinning Wheel as an Economic Engine: Emphasizing that the charkha symbolizes true economic sovereignty, the Chief Minister affirmed that Bapu’s philosophy of village self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) serves as the cornerstone for realizing a developed India (Viksit Bharat).

• Local to Global Synergy: Aligning state industrial policy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationwide "Local to Global" and "Vocal for Local" initiatives, the Chief Minister urged institutional buyers, corporate houses, and public servants to provide direct market linkage to local master craftsmen by procuring native handloom textiles.

Gram Swaraj in Action: How Village Secretariats and Swachh Bharat Transform Rural UP

Connecting Gandhian principles with contemporary governance, the Chief Minister elaborated on rural decentralization:

• Restoring Women's Dignity and Public Health: Millions of household toilets constructed under the flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan across Uttar Pradesh have eliminated open defecation, serving as the bedrock for community hygiene, health security, and female dignity.

• Operationalizing Gram Sachivalayas: The establishment of modernized village secretariats (Gram Sachivalayas) across tens of thousands of gram panchayats is bringing Bapu's ideal of Gram Swaraj into reality, delivering digital governance, civic certificates, and banking services directly at the villager's doorstep.

• Localized Employment Channels: Expanding civic infrastructure within rural belts ensures youth secure sustainable livelihoods and administrative support locally, curtailing forced urban migration.

Tributes to Lal Bahadur Shastri: A Rare Synthesis of Simplicity and Courage

Concluding his address, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid heartfelt homage to India's second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri:

• Principled Leadership in Crisis: Recalling Shastriji’s quiet fortitude, the Chief Minister described him as a leader who spoke with measured restraint but acted with uncompromising decisiveness whenever national security was challenged.

• Practicing What He Preached: Emphasizing Shastriji’s legendary integrity and ascetic lifestyle, the Chief Minister remarked that Shastri was a statesman who flawlessly practiced every word he uttered, leaving an indelible benchmark for patriotic governance and collective defense.