UP Rural Tourism Push: 465 village women being trained in local crafts near tourist spots
With an aim to expand rural tourism in Uttar Pradesh, villages near popular tourist destinations are being developed as rural tourism hubs by the UP tourism department under its rural tourism project. As part of this initiative, local stakeholders are being trained in various skills, officials said.
Local women and youth in selected villages are being trained in manufacturing and providing tourism-related products and services to help them become self-reliant.
Regional tourism officer of Prayagraj, Aparajita Singh, said that ODOP (One District One Product) items and local crafts have been chosen for the initiative. A total of 465 women have been selected from the Prayagraj division, including 185 from the Prayagraj district, she added.
These women are being trained in villages like Gadha Katra, Ghoorpur, Shringverpur, and Uparhar. The training includes skills for homestay owners, local boatmen, and tourist guides. Trainers from the Manyavar Kanshi Ram Tourism Management Institute in Lucknow are being engaged for this purpose, she said.
Training aligned with local identity
The Academy of Management Studies, Lucknow, is the implementing agency providing training in different crafts. Its head, Anand Sagar Tiwari, said that 11 crafts and services have been selected for training across rural areas in Prayagraj.
The selected crafts include jute and handbag making, moonj craft, pearl garland making, plaster of Paris statue crafting, cow dung products, amla-based items, and embroidery.
Skilled trainers have been deployed in villages for hands-on sessions. Trainer coordinator Vandana Rathore said that priority is being given to crafts that use raw materials readily available locally. Items made from cow dung, temple flowers, moonj, and jute are being promoted.
In religious tourism zones, products like Swastikas made from cow dung, bandhanwars, and decorative door hangings are also being developed.
While selecting crafts, care is being taken to ensure that products are closely linked to local tourist sites. This approach encourages visiting tourists to purchase these items, generating income and economic activity for the villagers, officials added.
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