UP-MP Sahyog Sammelan to Push Market Access for Local Products and Tourism Growth

-Aditya Amitabh Trivedii, Managing Editor 

Lucknow, March 30, 2026 : Uttar Pradesh’s integrated model of religious tourism, backed by strong ODOP and MSME linkages, is set to anchor discussions at the UP-MP Sahyog Sammelan 2026 to be held in Varanasi on March 31, with Madhya Pradesh looking to align key aspects of its development approach with Uttar Pradesh’s on-ground systems.

The day-long conclave will bring together representatives from both states to explore structured collaboration across trade, handicrafts, ODOP products, tourism and the MSME sector, with Uttar Pradesh MSME Minister Rakesh Sachan expected to play a key role in shaping discussions around enterprise-led cooperation.

A key highlight of the visit is expected to be the Kashi Vishwanath temple area, where Uttar Pradesh’s execution of large-scale religious infrastructure, crowd flow design and pilgrim management systems has emerged as a working benchmark for other states.

Officials said Madhya Pradesh is keen to study these systems closely, particularly in the context of planning large-scale religious events and strengthening its own pilgrimage infrastructure.

Beyond tourism, the conclave is expected to place strong emphasis on integrating ODOP and GI tagged products with broader economic opportunities. The focus will be on connecting traditional crafts, agricultural products and food-based specialties with branding, marketing and export channels, while leveraging tourism as a demand driver.

Uttar Pradesh’s ODOP framework, which has brought district-specific products into national focus, is expected to be a key reference point, especially in demonstrating how local enterprises and artisans can be directly linked to larger market ecosystems.

The interaction will also look at strengthening MSME collaboration between the two states, with discussions around skill development, industrial investment and creating scalable models for small business growth.

Memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during the conclave to formalise cooperation across these sectors, with a focus on translating policy discussions into on-ground opportunities.

With Varanasi at the centre of the engagement, the meet is expected to reinforce Uttar Pradesh’s position as a state that has successfully combined religious tourism, product identity and MSME-led growth into a cohesive and replicable development model.