Barkhetri Unnayan Samity

Barkhetri Unnayan Samiti, was established in 1976 by UC Medhi (Founder Secretary) and S.Medhi (Founder President) a registered society in Makalmua village in the Nalnari district of Assam. The institution was originally established to find livelihood solutions for the women folk in and around the villages of Makalmua. The institution was set up specifically to engage the women in some home-based livelihood skills so they too could earn a basic living and not depend on money to be sent by their menfolk from a far.

Gandhigram Video

In 1979-80, the Barkhetri Unnayan Samiti registered itself with KVIC and got the Khadi Certification. Today it employs nearly 620 hand-spinners, 10 weavers who work on the hand-jacquard loom, 90 weavers engaged in Eri silk weaving, 10 weavers working with Muga silk, across 21 villages in and around Makalmua.

The main products made by the KI are using Eri Silk and Muga Silk, with a small production of products using cotton yarn, mainly produced keeping the local market in mind
The traditional Mekhela-Chaddar is an ensemble of two on loom fabrics, one used as a wrap and the other like a stole. The main feature of the Mekhela-Chaddar is the extra weft designs on the borders and in the form of placement motifs in the body.