The 2018 scheme of One District One Product (ODOP) of the Uttar Pradesh Government gains momentum as financial aid and assistance to contracted artisans is assured as an extension to the venture. Each artisan whose product is selected and displayed for sale in the ODOP retail units across the state and country will be provided with monetary assistance for sustenance and development for the contracted tenure.
Promotion of Indigenous growth
In an attempt to promote the indigenous growth of local artisans and products, the state government has not only extended the ODOP scheme to trade fairs across the country but overseas also. This maximised reach has encouraged the artisans to apply for the scheme who will be further provided with financial assistance as encouragement and acknowledgement. The products selected under the ODOP scheme will be displayed in the ODOP retail stores that are to be opened across the country. While the display of these products outside the state will be confined to stores at airports and railway stations, within the state limits, they can operate in shopping malls, cantonment areas, railway stations, airports and other locations that have an area of 100 square metres. The drafted proposal seeks the final nod of the cabinet which is expected in the coming days.
The Additional Chief Secretary, MSME, said, “The state government is planning branding of products on a large scale. The government will provide financial assistance to applicants.” The State government has planned to provide financial aid of ₹5 lakh each for operating the ODOP stores at Delhi and Mumbai airports and ₹2 lakh for stores at railway stations in these two metros. Within the state, the government will provide ₹40,000 for operating stores in panchayat area, ₹60,000 in Nagar Palika and ₹1 lakh in Nagar Nigam limits. These figures have been promised to each artisan contracted under the 3-year tenure of the scheme.
The Uttar Pradesh ODOP scheme identifies and encompasses 75 indigenous products, one for each state district. The most popular products in this long list of products index is the world-famous carpets of Bhadohi, brassware of Moradabad, locks of Aligarh, famous black pottery of Mirzapur, crockery of Khurja and leather products of Agra and Kanpur among others.
-With inputs from IANS
