An obvious frontrunner

We always love to talk about India's unique diversity in terms of people, languages, landscape, food, art & craft and whatnot. But, somehow, the commercial aspect of this diversity has escaped our leaders' attention for decades. Credit must go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who floated the innovative idea of One District One Product (ODOP), and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who grabbed it and made ODOP his flagship scheme to realise the goal of making Uttar Pradesh a USD 1 trillion economy.

Of the 106 listed ODOP items, around 80 are from Uttar Pradesh. The ODOP and recently launched One Tehsil One Product (OTOP) schemes can prove to be effective tools in creating employment opportunities on a massive scale and help overcome regional economic imbalances while also boosting the manufacturing sector through MSMEs.

While there is a comprehensive list of registered ODOP products from UP, the identification of OTOP products is also underway across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Given the wide range of products found in UP and its huge, untapped marketing potential, OTOP can further be expected to reach micro levels in villages. With the launch of the OTOP in UP, we may get the mouthwatering 'Sandila ke laddu', Ghosi's special jaggery and Malihabad's Dashari mangoes on our platter in near future.

There is little doubt that every state, district, town and village in India has something or the other that gives it its unique distinction. All that it needs to flourish is a government that is sensitive to it and has the will and the wherewithal to exploit its commercial potential.

It is in this context that UP's Chief Minister rose to the occasion. He was the first to implement ODOP in the country. He directed the MSME department to develop a mechanism to enhance production of ODOP items on the one hand, by engaging more and more farmers, craftsperson and traditional artisans in this mission, and promoting their products both through offline and online marketing platforms on the other. The district administration officials are tirelessly working on the ground to raise general awareness about the benefits of the schemes.

In Uttar Pradesh, some places have been traditionally known for their products and it would definitely be easier for the authorities to market them nationally and on a global stage. For example, when someone refers to 'chikankari', the only name that comes to mind is Lucknow. Similarly, Agra is known for its leather products while Chitrakoot is known for its wooden craft and Bareilly and Badaun for embroidery works popularly known as 'zari-zardozi'. Sambhal is famous for hardbone craft while Aligarh is known for its locks and Varanasi for Banarasi silk saree and Langra mango.

It is noteworthy that UP's ODOP products were a big draw at Dubai Expo in 2020. The worth of Uttar Pradesh's export has already gone up from Rs 88,000 crore to more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore during the Yogi government and ODOP's significant contribution to this cannot be denied. The government is working tirelessly to promote the ODOP and OTOP products through an elaborate manufacturing, production and marketing strategy. It is trying to find markets for ODOP products both within the country and abroad.

In this context, the UP government has almost doubled its spending on ODOP items from Rs 28.9 crore last year to 46.25 crore this year. Recently, the UP government also launched the 'ODOPmart.com' portal, which serves as a direct interface between consumers and artisans. Also, the government has already tied up with e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon to ensure seamless delivery of items to the buyers on the one hand and promote ODOP products across the country, and also globally, on the other.

Furthermore, the government is setting up state-of-the-art common facility centres in every district of UP to make these indigenous products competitive in terms of quality and price at national and international levels. The government will also soon form export promotion committees in every district to make entrepreneurs more export-oriented.

Uttar Pradesh is also the first state in the country to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) network, which has proved to be a boon for smaller artisans. It allows artisans to sell their products at their own fixed prices through ONDC and ODOP mart.

The UP government is banking on its flagship ODOP project to double the export of MSME products from the state in the coming years. The government seeks to establish Brand UP through promotion of ODOPs and OTOPs. The products can do wonders for a traditionally deprived state like Uttar Pradesh, placing it as a frontrunner in the race for development while also setting it as a model for other states to emulate. As of now, ODOP has been adopted all over India to realise the true potential of each district.

The writer is a senior journalist. Views expressed are personal