Principal Secretary of the State Industries and Commerce Department (Handloom, Textiles), K Sunitha, said that AP has proved its uniqueness in the recognition of One District One Product (ODOP) undertaken by the government of India.

Being a leader in innovative sectors, AP submitted 26 applications from textiles, handicrafts, handloom, fisheries and industrial sectors and 14 products were shortlisted. Sunitha said that while 6 awards went to our state, two districts got gold medals. Applications were received from a total of 538 districts across the country, out of which 64 products were shortlisted. Finally, all the districts of the country received 10 awards and it is a matter of pride that six of them are from Andhra Pradesh.

The main objective of this program is to promote the socio-economic development of all the districts of the country by selecting one product from each district and providing branding and wide publicity. Uppada Jamdhani sarees of Kakinada district, Araku coffee of Alluri Sitarama Raju district won gold medals, ponduru cotton sarees of Srikakulam district and Gadwala sarees from district of Kurnool bagged bronze medals.

Madanapalle Pattu of Annamaiya District and Mangalagiri Handloom Sarees of Guntur District got special mention. The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry announced the list of awardees on Wednesday.

Sunitha stated that receiving ODOP awards for five handloom products is proof of the efforts of the state government in supporting handloom. She said that the Andhra Pradesh government is taking many measures to support the handloom workers and under the Netanna Nestham scheme, 81,783 handloom families are getting Rs 969.77 crore with the aid of each Rs 24,000.

Subsidized yarn facility for weavers through NHDC, marketing of handloom garments through APCO, cash credit facility to primary handloom weaver’s cooperative societies for cloth production and marketing through District Cooperative Central Banks.