Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched the ‘One District, One Cuisine’ (ODOC) initiative in Uttar Pradesh, a new programme aimed at giving a distinct identity to the traditional food and beverage specialities of each district, on the lines of the state’s flagship ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) scheme.
The ODOC initiative was unveiled at an event held at Rashtriya Prerna Sthal on the occasion of Uttar Pradesh Day. State government officials said the programme builds on the success of ODOP, which has helped several region-specific products from Uttar Pradesh gain national and international recognition.
Under the new initiative, district-specific cuisines and traditional recipes will be promoted to showcase the rich culinary heritage of the state. The scheme is expected to benefit traditional halwais, small food entrepreneurs and local workers by enabling their signature dishes to reach wider domestic and global markets, thereby creating sustainable livelihood opportunities at the grassroots level.
Officials said the ODOC programme will also focus on improving quality, hygiene and food safety standards of local cuisines, ensuring alignment with prescribed food safety norms.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh, and senior state officials were present at the launch event.
