UP govt to organise 'Swadeshi Melas' in all 75 UP districts before Diwali

Noida, Sep 29 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh MSME Minister Rakesh Sachan on Monday said the state government will organise "Swadeshi Melas" across all 75 districts ahead of Diwali.

Speaking at the last day of the UP International Trade Show 2025, in India Expo Mart and Centre in Greater Noida, Sachan said that these fairs will run for about 9 to 10 days in each district.

He said that the construction of three "Unity Malls" in Lucknow, Varanasi, and Agra has begun with central government funding.

Unity Malls refer to PM Ekta Malls, which are planned to be established in every state in India to promote and sell local products like One District, One Product (ODOP), Geographical Indication (GI), and other handicrafts "These malls will not only showcase each district's unique products but will also feature ODOP items from other states, thereby creating a comprehensive marketplace for indigenous goods," Sachan said.

"The melas to be organised under the banner of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) will carry the theme of Swadeshi Mela," he added.

The initiative aims to advance the 'Vocal for Local' call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while giving a strong push to indigenous products.

"Earlier, such fairs were limited to only 18 districts. This year, their expansion to all districts will provide artisans and handicraft entrepreneurs with a much larger marketplace and direct consumer reach. Along with showcasing traditional crafts, the initiative also plans to pass on the benefits of GST reforms to buyers," he added.

The fairs will be inaugurated by ministers and MLAs in their respective districts, with a focus on highlighting local products. This effort is expected not only to boost artisans' incomes, but also to make quality goods available to consumers at affordable prices, he added.

The minister further said that the third edition of UPITS 2025 concluded successfully, and the fourth edition will be organised on a much grander scale from September 25 to 29, 2026.

He assured that the "shortcomings observed this year" would be addressed to make the next edition more impactful. PTI COR KIS NB NB