NEW DELHI: The health ministry has asked central government hospitals across the country, such as AIIMS , to buy khadi products — from soaps to doctors’ coats and bed and bath linen — as it seeks to purchase goods worth at least Rs 150 crore.The order, issued on Wednesday, covers at least 23 hospitals, including PGI Chandigarh, Jipmer Puducherry and Nimhans Bengaluru, apart from AIIMS. In all, a list of 45 items has been circulated for the “exclusive” use of hospitals and autonomous institutes associated with the health ministry. It includes blankets, various types of soaps, curtains, gowns for patients and doctors, among others. The list was finalised based on the recommendation of a committee set up last year. This is the largest institutional order for the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, the agency responsible for promoting khadi. KVIC has bagged orders from several public sector companies such as ONGC (Rs 52 crore) and government departments such as railways (Rs 42 crore) since the Narendra Modi government came to power.But KVIC had maintained that a majority of the orders were not through nomination but through a competitive process. If KVIC is able to supply goods worth Rs 150 crore to hospitals, this alone will be over 7% of its annual sales for the current year.Last year, the sale of khadi products was estimated at a little over Rs 1,500 crore and is projected to grow 35% in the current financial year. Sales have boomed over the last few years as the government has pushed khadi.While demand is rising at a brisk pace, growth in production has been lagging and has emerged as a key challenge for KVIC.“The ministry of health adopting khadi for hospitals and staff is a significant symbol of khadi being the most natural and organic skin-friendly fabric… J P Nadda’s example of prescribing khadi for medical staff will result in purchases of Rs 150 crore by the health ministry. It will have a compounding effect of livelihood support it gives to khadi artisans,” KVIC chairman V K Saxena said while confirming the health ministry order.