People buy khadi at a shop in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: You can now give silks and synthetics a break and shop for khadi at a one-stop exclusive mall, which will soon come up in the capital.

To promote khadi and handicrafts products, the state government has proposed to set up a 15-storey mall on the premises of Orissa Khadi and Village Industries Board at Kharavela Nagar.

The mall would be spread across 3.8 acres with an investment of Rs 30 crore, preliminary estimates revealed.

The state-run Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) would construct the mall on a “turnkey” (a project that is constructed by a developer and sold or turned over to a buyer in a ready-to-use condition) basis. After the construction is complete, it will be handed over to the khadi board. Idco has also been asked to engage a professional architect to prepare the design of the building. The mall is expected to come up by the end of 2013.

“It would be one of the best malls in the city. Tourists visiting the state would certainly visit the mall,” said president of the khadi board, Nagendra Pradhan, adding that the chief secretary, Bijay Patnaik, has already visited the site and asked the Idco officials to expedite work.

According to plans, the first two storeys would deal exclusively with khadi products. Papad, pickles and other traditional household products would also be available at the mall. Business houses interested in displaying their products will be screened through a committee.

The remaining 13 floors of the mall would be given on rent to business establishments.

“Customers coming to the mall will find everything under one roof. It would be on par with other privately-run malls,” said officials of the khadi board. Adequate parking facilities would be created for two-wheelers and four wheelers.

Pradhan said: “After the opening of the mall, attempts will be made to revamp all 1,865 khadi and village industries cooperative societies. Similarly, steps will be taken to provide employment to nearly 1.1 lakh people engaged in the khadi and village industries sector across the state.”

Officials said though the khadi board was set up in 1956, various cooperative societies financed by it have become defunct because of lack of new initiatives on part of the government over the years.

“Now, the government spends nearly Rs 7 crore to pay salary to the khadi board employees. A day will come when the board will generate enough money to run itself. There is a plan for additional revenue generation and the board will take up a number of initiatives for the welfare of people,” said Pradhan.