MUMBAI: National carrier Air India continues to increase its sourcing from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), with the latest order coming in for supplying soaps, according to a commission statement.

Air India has placed a big order for supplying 5.75 lakh khadi soap cakes at a cost of Rs 45 lakh with the commission, KVIC said today, adding the latest order from the airline will generate around 20,000 extra man hours for the Khadi workers.

In June, Air India had placed an order worth Rs 8 crore with KVIC to source 1.85 lakh units of amenity kits which are distributed to the First and Business class passengers on the airlines’s international routes. The kits includes Khadi hand sanitisers, moisturiser lotions, lemongrass, handmade soaps, lip balms, rose face wash, essential oils etc. Earlier in December 2015, Air India placed a trial order worth Rs 1.21 crore from the KVIC to supply 25,000 units of amenity kits which was successfully supplied in a record time of 40 days. The Air India One, the official carrier of the Prime Minister, has also begun using exclusively Khadi attire for its in-flight staff. Silk sarees, Jodhpuri bandh gala coats, trousers and jackets are being supplied in record time for the PM’s aircraft. All the above orders are secured through competitive tendering and quality checks, thus upholding the value for price nature of Khadi and village industries products, the commission said. The commission has working on a brand makeover as an extension of its marketing strategy under the guidance of the internationally acclaimed fashion designer Ritu Beri.—PTI