Budget 2023: State govts to set up Unity Mall for promotion, sale of 'One District, One Product' items

Addressing the Parliament in her budget speech, FM Sitharman said, "states will be encouraged to set a 'Unity Mall' in the state capital or the most popular tourist destination in the state for the promotion and sale of 'One District, One product' and GI products and other handicraft."

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday (February 1) said that the state governments will be encouraged to set up a 'Unity Mall' for the promotion and sale of 'One District, One product' and GI products and other handicraft.

Addressing the Parliament in her budget speech, FM Sitharman said, "states will be encouraged to set a 'Unity Mall' in the state capital or the most popular tourist destination in the state for the promotion and sale of 'One District, One product' and GI products and other handicraft."

"The country offers immense attraction for domestic as well as foreign tourists. There is a large potential to be tapped in tourism. The sector holds huge opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship for youth in particular," FM Sitharaman said.

The finance minister also said that states and cities will be encouraged to take up urban planning. She said that all cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent transition of sewers and septic tanks from manhole to machine hole mode.

Cities will also be encouraged to increase creditworthiness for municipal bonds, the minister said. On June 25, 2015, the government launched the Smart Cities Mission. Hundred smart cities had been selected through four rounds of competition from January 2016 to June 2018.