Prayagraj: In an effort to give wider recognition to Prayagraj’s iconic food culture under the state govt’s ‘One District, One Dish’ (ODOD) initiative, fresh measures have been rolled out to support entrepreneurs associated with the city’s traditional delicacies.Known globally for its spiritual significance, Prayagraj is equally celebrated for its samosas, rasgullas and puri-kachoris. Yogi Adityanath govt now aims to transform these popular local products into stronger commercial brands by facilitating business expansion and providing financial assistance.Under the ODOD Financing Assistance Scheme, implemented through the District Industries Promotion and Entrepreneurship Development Centre, traders and entrepreneurs engaged in the production and sale of samosas, rasgullas and puri-kachoris will be eligible for support to establish new units or expand existing ventures.Assistant commissioner (industries) Sarika Singh said a divisional-level expert committee, guided by specialists familiar with the region’s cultural and culinary traditions, had initially shortlisted only samosas. Following recommendations, rasgullas and puri-kachoris were later included under the scheme. Twenty entrepreneurs have been selected so far.Govt will provide beneficiaries with both financial assistance and training to help them start or scale up their businesses.According to official estimates, around 800 manufacturers, 400 street vendors, 300 restaurants and nearly a dozen self-help groups are associated with the production, marketing and related activities of these three food items. The industries department has also identified larger units operating in the city and surrounding towns.Officials expect the initiative to generate employment for over 1,500 people in Prayagraj. There is no minimum educational qualification required to avail the scheme.Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Benefits under the scheme can be availed only once by an applicant or a member of the applicant’s family. Another key condition is that neither the applicant nor any family member should have previously received assistance under any other govt self-employment scheme.The initiative is expected to encourage entrepreneurs to launch new ventures and expand existing enterprises, while also improving packaging standards, upgrading machinery and promoting formalisation of businesses.The subsidy structure varies according to project cost. Projects up to Rs 25 lakh are eligible for a subsidy of 25% of the project cost, subject to a maximum of Rs 6.25 lakh. For projects costing between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, the subsidy is 10%, with the same upper limit of Rs 6.25 lakh.Projects valued between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore will receive a subsidy of 20% of the project cost, capped at Rs 10 lakh. For projects above Rs 1.5 crore, the subsidy is 10% of the cost, subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh.Singh said the beneficiary contribution requirement has also been kept modest. While applicants from the general category must contribute 10% of the project cost, the contribution requirement has been reduced to 5% for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, women and persons with disabilities.The provision is expected to ease capital constraints for traders dealing in samosas, rasgullas and puri-kachoris, enabling them to expand operations and strengthen their presence in the market.
