UP govt to build first handicrafts park in Yamuna Expressway industrial area

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 26 : In view of the growing popularity of a wide variety of traditional handicrafts of Uttar Pradesh following the launch of the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, the State Government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is building the first handicrafts park of UP in Sector 29 of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA).
A total of 76 industrialists have acquired land at the park spread over an area of 50 acres to set up their factories at the cost of Rs 403 crore. The factories being set up at the park will provide permanent employment to 22,144 people.
The maiden handicrafts park of UP will feature workshops, factories, and outlets making, showcasing and selling the wide-ranging handicrafts of the state to the domestic and global visitors, aiming at conserving the traditional crafts, providing employment to thousands of artisans of the state, and boosting the handicrafts sector's contribution to the state's economy.
It is already known to everyone that UP's rich traditional handicrafts, including Banarasi sarees, brass works of Moradabad, perfumes of Kannauj, chikankari of Lucknow, and terrocotta art of Gorakhpur are world-famous. In fact, every district of the state has at least one special product that is integral to its identity.
Hundreds of craftspersons are making beautiful things from clay, wood, and other materials, including toys and idols that have started drawing the attention of people from other parts of the country as well. The park will showcase its craftsmanship to the world.
While on the one hand, the park will enable people to get all the famous handicrafts of UP under the same roof, on the other it will provide a huge market for these products, boosting UP's handicrafts business. It will facilitate the export of UP's handicrafts to different countries of the world.
People living in Delhi and Noida will also be able to easily find handicrafts of Lucknow, Meerut, Bareilly, Firozabad, Agra, Varanasi, Chandauli, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Azamgarh, Mirzapur and Jhansi, and Lalitpur.
According to YEIDA officials, entrepreneurs working in the handicrafts sector are very excited about the first handicraft park in the state. Prominent among the 76 investors at the park include Vikas Exports, which deals in wood, metal, and marble works. Vikas Exports has been allotted 5,000 square metres of land to set up its venture.
Similarly, land has been allotted to The Silk Factory, Rateria Exports, Narayan Creation, Wazir Chand & Co, Dux India Industries Pvt Ltd, Dwar Footwear Industries, and Specialist Home Concepts.
According to officials, this park near Jewar airport will feature handicrafts from all over the country and soon become the most prominent place for artisans and craftsmen.
The park will be similar to the Hunar Haat organised in Delhi, which is attended by over 600 artisans and craftsmen from across states and union territories displaying indigenous products. People buy these products to decorate their homes and for other purposes.
It is noteworthy that the Yogi Government's schemes like ODOP as well as Vishwakarma Shram Samman seek to promote both local artisans and local handicrafts and artworks. Even the Matikala Board was formed on the initiative of CM Yogi Adityanath to protect and promote local artisans. The artisans were provided training and market facilities as part of the initiative. (ANI