India’s First BIS-Certified Flag Unit in Karnataka Sees Sharp Drop in Sales

Quick Summary

• Flag Sale Decline: The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyog samyukta Sangha (KKGSS) in Hubballi, India’s only BIS-recognized khadi national flag manufacturing unit, reports a steep decline in flag sales for the fourth consecutive year. Sales have dropped from ₹1.8 crore last fiscal year to ₹50 lakh this year.
• Polyester Flags Impact: An amendment to India’s National Flag Code in 2022 allowed the use of polyester flags, leading to reduced demand for customary khadi flags.
• Production Challenges: Polyester flags are cheaper and widely produced for campaigns like ‘Har Ghar Tiranga,’ overshadowing khadi units that strictly adhere to BIS standards on flag sizes.
• workers at Risk: Around 1,200 workers (mainly women) involved in making flags and khadi production may face job losses due to dwindling orders. KKGSS currently holds unsold stock worth ₹2.5 crore.
• Plea Ignored: Khadi activists want mandatory procurement of khadi flags by government institutions and reversal of the amendment, but no action has been taken. The amendment was initially described as temporary but remains effective after four years.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The decreasing demand for khadi national flags highlighted by KKGSS underscores a critical shift driven primarily by cost-effectiveness associated with polyester alternatives. While practical considerations like affordability influence consumer behavior during mass campaigns such as ‘Har Ghar Tiranga,’ these trends could undermine traditional industries tied closely with India’s freedom movement heritage.

Policymakers face competing priorities: preserving affordable options that maximize participation while supporting indigenous industries rooted in meaningful ancient value like KKGSS’s flag manufacture using locally sourced materials from Bagalkot villages. Continued neglect of appeals from workers and activists may weaken rural livelihoods reliant on this ecosystem unless remedial structural support or incentives ensure sustenance alongside market competition.

If concerns remain unaddressed over time-such as excess inventory forcing operational shutdowns-the issue could escalate into broader ramifications for industries built around India’s historically symbolic commodities like khadi.

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