The Cabinet approved the scheme under which traditional dishes from all regions will be given a new identity.
Some of Uttar Pradesh’s most popular non-vegetarian dishes do not feature in the state’s new culinary brand plan. the ‘The One District One Cuisine (ODOC) scheme, which allocates signature foods to each region, has instead focused entirely on plant-based items. This has divided opinions about representing the country’s full food culture.
The Cabinet approved the scheme under which traditional dishes from all regions such as Lucknow’s Rewadi, Agra’s Petha, Mathura’s Peda and Meerut’s Gajak will be given a new identity. The initiative focuses on improving packaging, branding and market access, along with training and financial support for artisans and confectionery makers.
Officials said each region will be allocated a “distinctive cuisine” that will be standardized, branded and promoted through exhibitions, festivals and digital platforms, along with training support and improved packaging for local food producers.
List of foods in the region
Lucknow
- Lucknow – Rewadi, Mango Products, Chaat, Malai Makhan
- Hardoi – potato puri, ladoos, lugad
- Lakhimpur Khere – Banana, jaggery, khoya peda, mohan kheer, rasgulla
- Raebareli – Bharat, Mirsha Pakora, Peda
- Sitapur – Buttercream and samosas
- Unao – Blackberries, samosas, kushali, an unusual sweet substance
In 2019, UNESCO designated Lucknow as a “Creative City of Gastronomy” for its rich Awadhi food culture. This includes kebabs, biryani, nihari and other traditional street foods.
Ayodhya
- Ayodhya – Chandrakala, Balushahi, Kachori, Pedda, Kulhad Dahi Jalebi
- Sultanpur – Peda, samosa, kadai podi, red peda
- Barabanki – Chandrakala, red peda
- Amethi – Samosa, jaggery kheer, dumplings
- Ambedkar Nagar – Balushahi, Chat, Khagla
- Gunda – dahi pada, kachori
- Bahraich – Shamsham
- Balrampur – Coconut Halakad Chaat
- Sravasti – Imarti
Western Uttar Pradesh and National Capital Region (NCR).
- Agra – Betta, Dalmuth
- Firozabad – Potato based snacks like tikki and kachori
- Mainpuri – Sohan Babdi, potato preparations
- Mathura – Bida, Khorshan
- Aligarh – Dairy Products, Kachori
- Hathras – Hing based items and sweets
- Kasganj – Moong dal sweet, snacks
- Meerut – Rawadi, Gajak
- Ghaziabad – Papad based items
- Gautam Buddh Nagar – Cake and bakery products
- Hapur – Babad
- Bulandshahr – Kachori, Bida
- Baghpat – Balushahi, Gwar
Central and Bundelkhand
- Prayagraj – kachori, samosa, rasmalai
- Fatehpur – Bedmi Puri, Desserts
- Kaushambi – Jaggery Products
- Pratapgarh – Anti-Money Laundering Act Based Elements
- Hamirpur – Dal based preparations
- Mahoba – History of Jaggery
- Jalun – local sweets and snacks
- Eastern Uttar Pradesh
- Azamgarh – Tehri, carrot dessert
- Palya – Sattu based dishes
- Mao – Letty Chukha
- Varanasi – Thandai, Lassi, Kachori, Banarasi Paan
- Jaunpur – Imarti, sweets
The initiative announced by the Prime Minister The Yogi Adityanath program on November 8 last year which was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 24 follows the ODOP model. The government allocated $150 crores for the programme. Artisans and entrepreneurs will be eligible for a one-time subsidy of up to 25%, maximum $20 lakh.
Controversy over representation
The menu has been criticized for being entirely vegetarian and for not having many well-known regional dishes. The program aims to promote food specialties across the region under a unified brand. Dishes like Galawati Kebabs of Lucknow, Uwadi Biryani, Nihari, Mutton Korma from Rampur, and meat preparations from Bareilly are not included.
Pushpesh Pant, President, Indian Cuisine Society and food historian, “I find this exercise laughable and not worthy of serious comment,” he told HT, adding: “There should at least be a clearly identifiable dish.” “Food does not recognize man-made borders,” he added.
He later told PTI, “This seems to be an immature move that emanates intolerance. In short, ignorant nonsense. I love all the dishes. All I’m saying is why do we engage in selective discrimination?”
A senior MSME official, who requested anonymity, said multiple factors were taken into consideration, including brand value and feasibility of implementation.
“This move will empower local artisans while giving a boost to employment and entrepreneurship. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh is creating a new identity in taste, culture and economy,” Awanish Awasthi, advisor to Yogi Adityanath, wrote on X.
“We are not banning any food or dictating food options. We are just promoting vegetarian dishes,” MSME Minister GBS Rathore told PTI. “In other words, we showcase foods that we think best represent the region,” he added.
“The cuisine is not just biryani and kebabs. As a chef, I believe vegetarian dishes are a treasure trove waiting to be explored. Yes, it would have been better if they had put some non-vegetarian food on the ODOC plate, but what if it wasn’t,” Chef Nitin from Lucknow told PTI, adding that the menu was full of “sweet dishes”.
(With inputs from HT’s Rajiv Mullick and PTI)
Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of experience in the field, she has led coverage of Indian general elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the US, Canada, Bangladesh and Nepal. Its reports cover world wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, and the Mahakumbh Mela. It verifies the facts and uses clear sources to ensure the accuracy of the reports. As a former Editor-in-Chief at Storytailors, she has managed teams to produce high-quality content for networks such as NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work has appeared on NDTV, Meaww and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and received mentoring from leading industry experts. When she’s not reading, Anita can be found outside or at a bakery. Areas of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics, reporting on social and political change over time.Read more
