As a major boost to Centre and State collaboration in promoting products under the One District One Product (ODOP) Initiative – a State Conference was held on 21st January, 2022 by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The Conference was chaired by Smt. SumitaDawra, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and was attended by Principal Secretaries and other key officers of the Industries Departments of all States.

Smt. SumitaDawra, Additional Secretary, DPIIT opened the meeting with a special address that focussed on the successful activities undertaken under ODOP so far and best practices across the states.

This was followed by a deep dive into the ‘Changing Narratives for the Manufacturing Sector in Jammu & Kashmir’ by Shri. Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary Industries, Jammu & Kashmir. Herein, the ODOP Initiative’s work in Jammu & Kashmir especially its successes in trade facilitation for walnuts and apples was discussed. The ODOP initiative’s facilitation of Jammu & Kashmir’s representation at the Dubai Expo 2020 and successful buyer-seller meets as well as focused trade discussions conducted therein were also highlighted. The rest of the states would also soon be facilitated to participate in events at an international level.

The state of Uttar Pradesh was also able to bring attention to the remarkable success of the UP ODOP Model wherein artisans and producers from all districts of the state have been promoted and assisted under One District One Product (ODOP). The presentation was made by Shri. Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Export Promotion, Uttar Pradesh.

UP provides a template for states to successfully implement and take forward the goal of creating each district as a hub for economic development through the product synonymous with it.

Smt. Swapna Debnath, Additional Director, Dept. of Industries and Commerce, Tripura outlined a roadmap for ‘Promoting remote districts and boosting local economy’. This included a discussion on the successful collaboration between the State Govt and the ODOP Team thus far, and the next steps that would be taken to promote product development and exports from all the 8 districts of Tripura.

Following the presentations from the States, the ODOP Initiative being facilitated by Invest India under DPIIT made a presentation on the scope of work under ODOP, the activities undertaken so far, and the way forward in fostering the vision of balanced regional economic development.

Invest India highlighted some of the existing stories of economic empowerment through trade facilitation, capacity building and product development.

Some key examples referred to included design trainings for Molela artisans in Rajsamand District, Rajasthan; skill trainings for Muga Silk weavers from Kamrup, Assam, sustained year-year trade facilitation of Lakadong Turmeric from West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya and the promotion of ODOP products from across districts and categories at international events such as the Dubai Expo 2020.

ODOP’s work in e-commerce onboarding and its close association with large e-commerce players to support rural artisans in leveraging web-based sales through dedicated storefronts for ODOP was also discussed.

A roadmap for further State engagement with the ODOP Initiative was also laid out. Through the sharing of sellers’ data from the States, the ODOP team would take forward trade facilitation with buyer leads. Further, the appointment of a nodal officer in every state to work hand in hand with the ODOP Initiative would ensure the success of future activities under the same.

The Conference was well received by the participants and some including Hage Tari, Principal Secretary, Industries from Arunachal Pradesh expressed their keen interest in participating and wholeheartedly supporting the same in his state. All the principal Secretaries also eagerly shared contact details and sought to stay connected and updated on the ongoing activities under ODOP.

Shri B. Ramanjaneyulu, Director, DPIIT concluded the Conference with A Vote of Thanks and Closing Remarks. He urged the Industries Departments from all States and Union Territories to ensure active support for the successful implementation of the ODOP initiative across the length and breadth of the country, to propel the economy towards the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He also apprised the participants on the inclusion of ‘One District One Product’ initiative as a category for assessing the performance of Civil Servants being considered for the annual Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration.

The successful States Conference marks the recognition of the outstanding success of the ODOP Initiative, while recognizing that it is a first step towards further impactful work towards the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and #VocalforLocal.

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DJN/PK/MS