ODOP scheme revives Agra footwear, Gorakhpur terracotta industries

The Uttar Pradesh government's One District, One Product (ODOP) initiative is providing new life to Agra's footwear industry and Gorakhpur's terracotta craft. In Agra, a Common Facility Centre in Nawada village trains young people and women in cutting, stitching, and operating modern machinery. The city exports around Rs 4,000 crore worth of leather products annually and the sector employs four to five lakh people. The programme aims to help artisans move from being workers to entrepreneurs by providing access to bank loans, subsidies of 10 to 25 per cent, toolkits, and sewing machines.

In Gorakhpur, the ODOP scheme has helped traditional terracotta artisans expand their reach beyond local markets. President's Award recipient Rajjan Prajapati now runs a unit with annual business of about Rs 1.5 crore, dispatching nearly two dozen truckloads of products each year. Another artisan, Pannelal Prajapati, estimates his annual business at Rs 60-70 lakh after receiving a free toolkit under the programme. Industry Commissioner Ujjwal Singh said terracotta was chosen for its cultural importance, and the programme provides training, free toolkits, and subsidies to create a sustainable ecosystem around the craft.