PM Modi Inaugurates 'Kashi Ek Roop Anek' Exhibition In Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in his first visit to Varanasi this year, on Sunday inaugurated ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’, a cultural, arts and handicrafts exhibition, at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Hastkala Sankul. He was interacting with buyers and artisans, who had gathered from different countries including the United States, England, and Australia. The prime minister later went around several stalls and showed keen interest in the products that were put on display.

‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’ showcased products from over 10,000 artisans from all over Uttar Pradesh. Artists and weavers present at the two-day event will also be trained to improve the quality and branding of their products suitable to the larger national and international markets.

"This effort to make the products of UP reach foreign markets and make them available worldwide online market, the whole country is going to benefit from this," said PM Modi.

"Today this is my third event in Kashi, the first one was at a spiritual centre, the second was at a modern centre and now I am at the centre of self-employment. This proves that 'Kashi ek hai par iske roop anek hai'," PM Modi added.

There are 23 lakh artisans and weavers residing in Uttar Pradesh. Of these, about 35,800 artisans and 1.5 lakh weavers stay in Varanasi alone.

The Uttar Pradesh government had launched the ambitious scheme ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) in which one craft per district was identified.

The state government has established raw material banks, testing labs, common facility centres, and facilitated direct market access to artisans and weavers and helping them improve their income.