Varanasi: Selection of Mirzapur’s Lalpeda in One District One Cuisine (ODOC) has opened opportunities for mega financial support to its producers by industries department, of Rs 25,000 to Rs 5 crore, to expand their product and business. District has 65 active units for Lalpeda making while 400 are associated with the trade.As per the decision of Yogi govt to provide financial assistance for promotion of products selected under One District-One Cuisine (ODOC) scheme Mirzapur’s famous Lalpeda will soon start reaching to national and international markets.Mirzapur’s district industries centre’s deputy commissioner Sandeep Kumar said entrepreneurs can receive grants for projects costing between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 crore. For projects up to Rs 25 lakh, the subsidy will be 25 % of the project cost. “For projects above Rs 25 lakh and up to Rs 50 lakh, it will be 20 %. For projects above Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 1.5 crore, the assistance will be 10% of the project cost or Rs 10 lakh, whichever is higher. For projects exceeding Rs 1.5 crore, the grant will be 10 % or Rs 50 lakh, whichever is lower”, he added.According to him, around 65 Lal Peda units operate in the district, providing livelihood to nearly 400 people. General category beneficiaries must contribute 10 % of the project cost, while beneficiaries from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, transgender persons, women and persons with disabilities must contribute 5 %. After two years of successful operation, the grant amount will be adjusted against the bank loan. Eligible entrepreneurs can apply through the departmental portal. The subsidy will be provided as margin money to encourage new and existing enterprises.Govt will also conduct special training programmes to link traditional skills with modern techniques. Artisans will be trained in packaging, quality control, hygiene standards and methods to improve shelf-life, enabling Mirzapur’s Lal Peda reach domestic and overseas markets safely, while supporting wider income opportunities for local sweet-making families too.
