LUCKNOW, March 15 -- The PM Unity Malls are being developed in Agra, Varanasi, and Lucknow to provide a permanent platform for showcasing and marketing traditional industries, handicrafts, and local products at a single location. The initiative will help artisans, women, and youth connect directly with larger markets. Products under the ODOP (One District One Product) scheme and GI-tagged items from different districts will gain wider recognition at national and international levels. It is also expected to revive traditional industries that have been declining in rural areas. "This step is not only strengthening the livelihoods of artisans but also establishing local products as a new force of 'Swadeshi.' The Central Government's ambitious PM Unity Mall project is emerging as a major hub in states for the sale, display, and branding of local products," the state government said on Saturday. In Agra, a Unity Mall is being built in the Shilpgram area on about 11.53 acres at an estimated cost of Rs.128.85 crore. Excavation for the basement, foundation PCC and RCC work, along with RCC work for basement floor columns and retaining walls, has been completed. The facility will offer a platform to brand and market handicrafts and traditional products from the Braj region, Agra, Firozabad, and nearby districts in national and international markets. In Varanasi, a Unity Mall is being developed in Ganganagar Colony over about 1.46 acres at an estimated cost of Rs.154.71 crore. The D-wall work has been completed, while foundation work for Basement-3 is currently underway. The mall will have dedicated space for the display and sale of Banarasi sarees, zari-zardozi work, wooden toys, rudraksha, and other traditional products. In Lucknow, a Unity Mall is being developed in Awadh Shilpgram over about 4.86 acres at a cost of Rs.64 crore. The project is expected to be completed by June 2026. Finishing work in shops and the structure of the administrative block have been completed, while brickwork and lift installation are underway. The mall will serve as a major marketplace for chikankari, zari-zardozi, and other renowned products from the Awadh region. This initiative will help increase the income of local artisans, generate new employment opportunities, and strengthen the rural economy. It will also promote Swadeshi products and boost tourism in the region....