What Happened
- The Uttar Pradesh government is constructing PM Unity Malls in Agra, Varanasi, and Lucknow to provide permanent retail and display platforms for One District One Product (ODOP) items and GI-tagged traditional products from all 75 UP districts.
- The Varanasi Unity Mall is being developed in Ganganagar Colony over approximately 1.46 acres at a cost of ₹154.71 crore, with D-wall work completed and foundation work underway.
- The Lucknow Unity Mall at Awadh Shilpgram spans approximately 4.86 acres at a cost of ₹64 crore, expected to be completed by June 2026, with finishing works and lift installation in progress.
- Once operational, each Unity Mall will provide dedicated space for artisans, weavers, and producers from across the state to display and sell products including Banarasi sarees, chikankari, zari-zardozi, wooden toys, and rudraksha items.
- Nationally, 27 states are advancing PM Unity Malls to promote their ODOP, GI, and handicraft products — with UP, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar among the top-funded states.
Static Topic Bridges
One District One Product (ODOP)
ODOP (One District One Product) is a district-level economic development initiative first launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2018 and subsequently adopted as a national scheme by the Central government under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). The scheme identifies one signature product per district — based on traditional skills, local resources, and economic potential — and provides it with concentrated support including processing infrastructure, branding, e-commerce access, and market linkages.
- Originated: UP government, 2018; adopted nationally by GoI
- Central scheme: ODOP under MoFPI; also implemented through DPIIT for manufacturing products
- Each district's product identified through consultations; focus on traditional crafts, agro-processing, textiles
- Support mechanisms: Common Facility Centers, branding, GI certification assistance, e-commerce onboarding (Amazon, Flipkart, GeM)
- UP has 75 districts; 75 ODOP products — from Agra's leather goods and Varanasi's Banarasi silk to Mainpuri's zardozi and Bhadohi's carpets
Connection to this news: PM Unity Malls are the physical retail infrastructure for ODOP — providing a permanent, multi-district showroom that replaces ad hoc exhibitions and gives ODOP products a high-footfall, tourism-linked sales channel in UP's three major cities.
Geographical Indications (GI) Tags
A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, reputation, or characteristics attributable to that origin. In India, GIs are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, administered by the Geographical Indications Registry under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), which is under DPIIT.
- GI Act 1999; GI Registry: Chennai
- GI registration provides 10-year protection, renewable indefinitely
- Producers within the geographic area can use the GI tag; outsiders cannot
- India has 600+ GI registrations (as of 2024); textiles, handicrafts, and agricultural products dominate
- Notable UP GI tags: Banarasi silk, Lucknow chikankari, Agra petha, Bhadohi carpets, Mathura peda, Varanasi glass beads
- TRIFED promotes GI-tagged tribal products; KVIC promotes khadi-related GIs
Connection to this news: Unity Malls will serve as the premium retail channel for GI-tagged UP products, providing provenance assurance to domestic and international buyers — addressing the common problem of GI products being sold without proper authentication in informal markets.
PM Unity Malls: National Scheme Architecture
PM Unity Malls (also referred to as PM Ekta Malls in some official communications) are a Central government initiative under which states are funded to construct large retail-cum-exhibition complexes (minimum 18,000 sq ft per guidelines) to showcase their ODOP, GI-tagged, tribal, and handicraft products. The malls are meant to serve as one-stop destinations for buyers, tourists, and institutional purchasers.
- Minimum size: 18,000 sq ft per mall guideline
- Funded through Central grants to states; implemented by respective state governments
- Target: at least one mall per state in a major city with high footfall (tourism hubs preferred)
- 27 states advancing PM Unity Malls as of 2025–26
- Connected schemes: TRIFED's Tribes India outlets for tribal products; KVIC outlets for khadi
- e-Commerce integration: Unity Mall products to be listed on GeM, Amazon Saheli, and Flipkart Samarth
Connection to this news: UP's three-city strategy (Agra-Varanasi-Lucknow) is strategically chosen — all three are major domestic and international tourism destinations, ensuring that Unity Malls serve both retail and cultural diplomacy functions for traditional UP crafts.
Key Facts & Data
- UP Unity Malls: Agra, Varanasi (₹154.71 crore; 1.46 acres), Lucknow (₹64 crore; 4.86 acres; completion June 2026)
- Products showcased: from all 75 UP districts (ODOP + GI-tagged)
- Key UP GI products: Banarasi silk, Lucknow chikankari, zari-zardozi, wooden toys, rudraksha (Varanasi), Agra petha, Bhadohi carpets
- GI Act: Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
- GI Registry: Chennai; administered by CGPDTM under DPIIT
- India total GI registrations: 600+ (as of 2024)
- ODOP: originated in UP 2018; adopted nationally under MoFPI
- National spread: 27 states advancing PM Unity Malls
- Minimum Unity Mall size per guidelines: 18,000 sq ft