The Union government has announced the Rs 5,000 crore initiative in the Union Budget 2023-24 under the “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment”.
Photo: Invest India
In a significant push to promote indigenous goods, 27 states have received approvals for constructing PM Ekta Malls under the “One District One Product” (ODOP) initiative. These malls will showcase ODOP, GI-tagged items, and local handicrafts from across India.
The Union government has announced the Rs 5,000 crore initiative in the Union Budget 2023-24 under the “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment”.
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Uttar Pradesh, due to its size, will have three malls in Agra, Lucknow, and Varanasi.
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Uttar Pradesh stands out with the highest allocation of Rs 370.25 crore. Other highly funded states include Madhya Pradesh (Rs 284 crore in Ujjain), Assam (Rs 226 crore in Guwahati), and Tamil Nadu (Rs 223 crore in Chennai), highlighting strategic focus on cultural and commercial hubs.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, and Punjab received mid-range funding, reflecting their economic weight and diverse local industries.
Meanwhile, smaller states such as Goa, Tripura, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh saw allocations under Rs 140 crore, appropriate to the scale and requirements of their projects.
Most malls are planned in state capitals or major tourism and financial centres like Surat, Dharamshala, and Navi Mumbai.
Land for these projects is being provided by state governments either free of cost or at their expense, ensuring smoother implementation under the DPIIT’s coordination.
The SASCI guidelines issued by the Department of Expenditure provided for an amount of Rs 5000 crore for setting up of one Ekta Mall per State, to be set up preferably in the State capital, on a ‘first-come first-served basis’.
The guidelines also have a provision for considering the setting up of the Unity Mall in the financial capital or a prominent tourism Centre of the State.
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