The Uttar Pradesh government will hold trade shows in all 75 districts from October 9 to 16, offering entrepreneurs free stalls as part of a plan to broaden opportunities for small manufacturers and artisans, officials said on Saturday.
The move follows the success of the UP International Trade Show (UPITS) in Greater Noida and aims to take similar market access to the grassroots.
Khadi and Village Industries Minister Rakesh Sachan said the district-level fairs will expand a programme that was previously organised only at the divisional level. “Earlier, trade shows were restricted to the divisional level, but in view of the success of UPITS, the government has now decided to expand them to every district,” he said. “Entrepreneurs from diverse sectors, including textiles, will participate.”
Sachan also said the government is considering setting up khadi showrooms at universities to familiarise younger consumers with the fabric. “Unlike many fabrics currently on the market, which can be harmful to health and the environment, khadi is natural, pure, and sustainable,” he added, underlining the administration’s push to position khadi both as heritage and as an eco-friendly alternative.
At the UP International Trade Show in Greater Noida, the state Fire Department’s high-tech stall has drawn considerable attention. Visitors have been shown advanced rescue equipment such as victim-trace cameras, thermal imaging cameras, breathing apparatus sets and a firefighting robot.
The exhibition also displayed modern firefighting vehicles recently deployed to districts including Meerut, Gorakhpur and Lucknow, demonstrating the government’s focus on upgrading emergency response infrastructure.
The trade fair has also highlighted the growing role of women entrepreneurs in the state’s economic transformation. Nidhi Jain, who began a chikankari (embroidered textile) venture in Lucknow from a single room eight years ago, said government support and easier business rules have helped her scale up. “Today I employ 30 to 40 women and run studios in Noida,” she said. “We can hold our heads high and contribute to building a self-reliant Uttar Pradesh.”
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Jain credited improved ease of doing business and better infrastructure for her expansion. “In the past eight and a half years, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a historic transformation. Doing business and starting a business has become much easier. With improved infrastructure and connectivity, traders can now access national and global markets more easily,” she told The Indian Express.
