Har Ghar Tiranga: National flag can now be machine-made, in polyester

The Indian national flag or Tricolour can now be made of polyester and with the help of machines, according to revised Flag Code of India.

The Union government in December 2021 amended the flag code stating the national flag made of polyester or machine-made flags have been allowed. 

"Now, the National Flag shall be made of hand-spun and hand-woven or machine-made, cotton/polyester/wool/silk khadi bunting," the notification of the amendment by the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Before this, only hand-woven and hand-spun flags made of cotton, silk, wool or Khadi were allowed.

The hoisting, use and display of the flag is governed by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Flag Code of India, 2002.

According to The Hindu report, the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha, which runs the lone BIS-approved flag-making unit, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah saying that the amendment will affect the whole of the khadi sector.

The development has been made so that enough flags are available for government's Har Ghar Tiranga (tricolour at every door) programme that proposes to cover government buildings, private offices and residences.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced the tricolour plan as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign launched by the government in the run-up to the 75 years of Independence.

The programme was launched on April 12 to encourage Indians to hoist the national flag at their homes.

“The idea behind this initiative is to invoke the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of citizens and promote awareness about our national flag," the culture ministry in a letter to government departments said on May 20.

On May 13, the Cabinet Secretary had chaired a meeting of a committee of secretaries on Har Ghar Tiranga, where it was decided that employees and families of ministries, departments, public sector undertakings, self-help groups, civil society organisations should have “active participation” in the programme.