To institutionalize the development of the Khadi and Village Industries sector, the Government of India first constituted the All India Khadi and Village Industries Board in 1953. This was followed by the enactment of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956 (No. 61 of 1956), which inter alia provides for the establishment of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) as a statutory body.

KVIC is entrusted with the responsibility to plan, promote, facilitate, organize, and assist in the establishment and development of Khadi and Village Industries in rural areas, in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development.

In view of evolving market dynamics, technological advancements, and the need to further strengthen support systems, certain provisions of the KVIC Act, last amended in 2006, require updating. A comprehensive amendment is proposed to align the legislative framework with current sectoral needs and to enhance KVIC’s role as a facilitator of growth, innovation, and sustainable village industries.

To strengthen and modernize the Khadi and Village Industries sector, the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) in collaboration with MyGov invites citizens to share their views on the proposed Amendments to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.

The Ministry of MSME is in the process of amending the KVIC Act, 1956. In this regard, this Ministry is being consulted by various central Ministries/Department. The amendments proposed in the KVIC Act, 1956, are based on the following three key pillars:
(a) Diversification and adoption of New Technology
(b) Formalization of Village Industries
(c) Inclusivity and Institutional Strengthening

(a) Diversification and Adoption of New Technology
(i) Make provision for the adoption of any emerging form of fabric in the KVI Sector.
(ii) Adoption of clean energy, like Solar energy, in Khadi production while retaining the sector's authenticity.

(b) Formalization of Village Industries
(i) Align the "Village Industry" definition with the micro-enterprise classification under the MSME Act, based on investment and turnover thresholds.
(ii) Update the Schedule of Village Industries to allow inclusion of emerging activities aligned with market trends, rural entrepreneurship, and technology-led enterprises.
(iii) To make provisions to facilitate Udyam Registration for village industries and align the Village Industries with the National Industrial Classification Code (NIC Code).

(c) Inclusivity and Institutional Strengthening
(i) To include representation of women, weaker sections (SC/ST/OBC) and contemporary expertise in the Commission’s composition
(ii) To open up the Khadi Sector for new entities.
(iii) To include the rule making power in the functions of the Commission.