Mahakumbh: Products from pan-UP drawing crowd in ODOP Expo, sale of ₹35 crore expected
Stalls of major products of almost all 75 districts of the state have been set up in the exhibition.
A range of popular products known for their quality, beauty and durability from districts across Uttar Pradesh are drawing a crowd at Mahakumbh-2025.
Available under one roof at the One District One Product (ODOP) exhibition, these products are finding takers from visitors from across the country and even abroad right since the expo was inaugurated on January 16 at the Parade Ground of tent city.
Stalls of major products of almost all 75 districts of the state have been set up in the exhibition.
Carpets of Bhadoi, zari-zardosi works of Badaun, Bareilly, Chandauli and Lucknow, glass ware and toys of Firozabad, wooden toys of Varanasi and a range of handicraft products are attracting people.
Joint commissioner of industries Sharad Tandon said that this time eight times more turnover is expected from the sale of ODOP products during Mahakumbh-2025 than that witnessed during Kumbh-2019.
In 2019, turnover of ₹4.30 crores was done while this time a turnover of ₹35 crore is expected, he said.
The exhibition is expected to provide new direction to employment and small entrepreneurs. The exhibition includes Aonla products of Pratapgarh, brass utensils of Mirzapur and terracotta items of Gorakhpur as well.
Flipkart has also set up its stall in Mahakumbh, where the products of entrepreneurs have also been displayed for free. A huge crowd of shoppers and spectators are visiting it.
The craftsmen of Varanasi have presented 75 products like wooden toys, Banarasi brocade work, metal repose and metal casting products in the exhibition.
Geographical Indication (GI) expert Rajni Kant said that 75 GI products of Uttar Pradesh are being displayed under the ODOP scheme at the expo. These include red chilli from Varanasi, Banarasi saree, Surkha guava of Prayagraj, Aonla products from Pratapgarh, brass utensils from Mirzapur and terracotta from Gorakhpur. Carpets from Kushinagar and glass toys and utensils from Firozabad are also attractions of the exhibition, he added.
GI is a distinctive sign used to identify a product whose quality, reputation or other such characteristics relate to its geographical origin.
One District One Product- Uttar Pradesh (ODOP-UP) is an initiative by the Government of Uttar Pradesh to encourage state’s domestic production of various handicrafts, readymade clothes, leather products etc. Launched in January 2018, the aim of the scheme is to encourage production and sale of indigenous and specialized products district wise.