Uttar Pradesh's ODOP scheme gets wings, goes global from local

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's ambitious scheme ODOP (One District, One Product), launched to take the slogan of "Vocal for Local" on the ground, is now on the way to go from local to global within four years of its inception and launch. Be it Dussehra or Holi, Deepawali, New Year or any special event, now only ODOP products are being given to special guests in the form of gift hampers or souvenirs. The Chief Minister almost compulsorily gives gift hampers of ODOP products to the special guests who call on him.

Recently, there was tremendous branding of ODOP products of the state when Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented ODOP products of Uttar Pradesh to their heads of state and prime ministers during the meeting of G-7 countries. This isn't the first time though. Even before this, on the occasion of the inauguration of Kushinagar International Airport, the ODOP product of Siddharthanagar, considered to be the Prasad of Lord Buddha, was given as a gift to the guests from Buddhist countries.

It is pertinent to point out here that on the first foundation day of Uttar Pradesh on 24 January 2018, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched this very ambitious scheme in the presence of the then Governor Ram Naik. The objective was the overall development of the state, providing employment at the local level, while preserving and promoting the traditional arts, skills, cultural heritage of the state.