PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 1 -- The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), launched by the state government, has provided a significant boost to the previously neglected handicraft sector, particularly under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, said officials. According to Tanya Banerjee, assistant director (handicrafts), Prayagraj region, a total of 11 districts under Prayagraj's jurisdiction-Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Mahoba, Jalaun, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Lalitpur and Banda-have witnessed a revival in handicraft production through the ODOP initiative. "Among these, Fatehpur and Chitrakoot have been identified as Aspirational Districts based on a NITI Aayog survey that highlighted their potential for handicraft development," Banerjee said. "Each district has its unique crafts-Chitrakoot is known for wooden toys, while Fatehpur specialises in jute wall hangings, metal fabrication and Moonj products." As per official records, the top five districts in the Prayagraj region in terms of artisan population are Prayagraj (29,600), Pratapgarh (3,492), Fatehpur (2,652), Kaushambi (1,972) and Chitrakoot (1,200). To support handicraft manufacturing, the ministry of textiles has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Punjab National Bank (PNB) to provide funding at subsidised interest rates under the Mudra Loan scheme. In the Prayagraj region alone, nearly 350 applications have been received, with more than 20 loans already sanctioned and others currently in the pipeline. To prevent artisans from leaving their craft for other professions, the government has also introduced a pension of Rs.8,000 per month for artisans over the age of 60 who have received recognition through state-level awards or the prestigious Shilp Guru award. Highlighting the traditional craftsmanship in the region, Banerjee noted that Chitrakoot, a forest-rich district, has a long-standing tradition of making toys from locally available woods like Dudhi, Kauraiya, and Sundari. She also shared that the ministry of textiles and the development commissioner (handicrafts) are actively supporting artisans in these aspirational districts through training, financial assistance, toolkits, and marketing platforms. "Earlier, a cluster of 500 artisans was formed in Chitrakoot, which has now evolved into a self-sustaining entity-the Kamadgiri Wood Art Producer Company," she added. It is worth noting that eight districts in Uttar Pradesh have been identified as Aspirational Districts for targeted development initiatives, including support for handicraft artisans. These districts are Bahraich, Balrampur, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Shrawasti, Siddharthnagar and Sonbhadra....