Centre grants 'PM Ekta Mall' to Puducherry to boost handicrafts

Puducherry Mar 3 (PTI) A Prime Minister Ekta Mall (Unity Mall) would be set up in Puducherry at a cost of Rs 128 crore to boost handicrafts.

According to a release on Tuesday, the Centre had approved of the grant to set up the Ekta Mall under the "Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment" (SASCI).

"This is a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering local artisans, weavers and craftspeople of the Union Territory", it said.

The Ekta Mall, an ambitious project dedicated to be a permanent and prime location platform aimed at empowering artisans and providing them with unprecedented visibility and market access, would come upon over 4.7 acres of land here, the release said.

The products made by the craftsmen would represent the cultural identity of their districts which would gain buyers beyond the local weekly markets. The mall has been conceived to be a dedicated platform for "one district one product" initiative and Geographical Indication (GI) tagged goods.

The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has provided the entire grant of Rs 128 crore for establishment of the PM Ekta Mall in Puducherry, the release added. PTI CORR SA